Wood Top Bridge to Cheddleton Mill

As we languished in bed this morning we could hear the chug chug chug of an engine. Peering out from our bedroom porthole the bow of an old work boat came past, sheets down and then the familiar FMC livery, it was Tench with Alex at the helm. Sadly we weren’t able to get out to say hello in time. But as we are all heading towards a dead end then our paths will cross again.

Before setting off we wanted to empty our yellow water tank, so Mick set everything up outside whilst I gave the toilet a clean and got ready to flick the switch to turn the pump on. ‘Ready!’ came from outside, so I flicked the switch. All as normal for about 20/30 seconds. But then the pumping noise stopped and a kind of clicking noise started. This was switched off almost as soon as it started! What the….

With the panelling removed Mick flicked the switch again and out from the side of the Whale pump was a section that was flipping outwards. Video attached. Very odd and definitely not what it was meant to be doing. Computer turned on and an email sent to Finesse with the video, they agreed that it was very odd and that a new pump would be sent out to us, the second in a week.

Thank goodness we’d had a second outlet installed to be able to manually empty the tank, otherwise I’d have to be finding secluded bits of hedgerow for the next few days! At first Mick tried a small hand held pump attached to a length of hose. But just below gunnel height there is something that restricts the width of pipe you can get down, so this wasn’t going to work. We decided to look again at it after we’d moved.

By now it was raining, but determined to get down onto the river section and visit The Black Lion we both put full waterproofs on and pushed off. Only a couple of twists and turns brought us to the moorings at Cheddleton where there was space just behind Tench. By now it was heaving it down and we wanted to say hello to Alex, so pulled in behind. I walked down to see if there were any moorings below the next two locks, but there was nothing. With the rain forecast to stay with us for the full day we decided to stay put and see how the river reacts. By the pub at Consall Forge there is a weir which if the current is strong would be a bit hairy, also there is a low bridge to get under, which if the level is up we might not manage. So better to wait and see what happens.

Back at Oleanna Mick had got the hand pump out that he uses to empty the gear box oil from the engine. This has a finer tube that fitted down into our yellow water tank. Quite a bit of pumping was required but it did the job and some of the hedgerow got a treat. Thank goodness I’d no longer have to keep my legs crossed.

The rest of the day we pottered around Oleanna.

I decided to get the mats I’d bought fitted on the steps to help protect the oak from wet feet, there isn’t always the luxury of time to take shoes off to pass through the boat whilst cruising.

The front steps were easy, one mat just needed to be cut in half as it fitted perfectly across the steps. The rear half treads took a little bit more time, but not much. I cut a paper template using a page from Towpath Talk (the boaters fire lighting paper). The depth of tread was just about the same as half that of the mat, then cutting the width and curved corner to fit. Hey presto! Our steps now have some protection, better than just newspapers on them. Hopefully the rubber backing will mean that they don’t move too much, but can easily be taken outside to be cleaned.

0 locks, 0.39 miles, 1 fullish yellow water tank, 1 sideways flicking pump, 2nd hand pump, 1 emptyish yellow water tank, 2nd pump on it’s way, 6 tread mats cut, 8th rag bag nearly complete, 5 whole hours of rainy muddy exploration, 1.5 hours to clean up, 1 stove keeping us too toasty, 1 river rising, 0 sightings of Alex, 1 evening watching recorded programmes.

Leek to Wood Top Bridge 40

Time to move on, after a trip to Morrisons to do the shopping I avoided yesterday. As we pushed off we were the last of the boats that had taken refuge here to leave, already having been replaced by another three boats.

As we came out of the tunnel we could see a hire boat that was stuck. One chap was pushing with all his mite on the pole and the other chap giving it full throttle, which was counter acting anything the pole was doing. Mick suggested that they should try to get off by going backwards, not just a bit but a long way, so we held beck to give them space. But they were stuck, so with one of their ropes wrapped round a dolly we tried to tow them off backwards. This needed some reverse from them before they were afloat again. We hung around to make sure that they were okay before we carried on.

A lot of leaves had come down in the storm, so the colours of the trees were a bit disappointing, maybe we’re just a little bit early too. We meandered our way back to Hazelhurst Junction slowly. At Bridge 1 I hopped off and went to set the first lock down towards Froghall. Here the two branches of the canal lie almost next to each other, so Mick held back until he could see that I was about to open the top gate. Then he swung Oleanna round the 180 degree turn to the right, under the smart bridge and into the lock.

With the three Hazelhurst locks close together I walked down to the next chamber to start filling it as Mick lifted a paddle to empty the one Oleanna was in and step back on board for me to return to open and close the gates. This meant that we were filling the next chamber with the water from the last one, with little if any water going round the bywash.

Now we were low enough to go right under the other branch that we’d just come off. From here we now started to go right even though we’d taken the left at the junction. Just as we were approaching the aqueduct, I’d just picked my camera up to take photos of it, when on the off side I could see the electric blue of a Kingfisher. It took too long to turn my camera on as Mick pointed out that there was not just one but two of them. The second one so close to us that I hadn’t originally seen it due to the cabin side. Three maybe four foot away at most! Just there!! And my camera was still turning itself on as they darted away. I’ve made a note of where they were sitting so that my camera will be powered up and ready should they be there when we return.

There were a couple of boats moored outside The Hollybush so we carried on to find a suitable mooring for the night as we didn’t really want to go down the next two locks today. Now surrounded by trees, we found a stretch where on one side we’d get some day light. Tilly could be heard inside counting the trees as we tried to pull in, but the bottom was too near to the top. A short distance further on we got into the side with ease and Tilly was allowed out to climb the trees she’d been shouting at through the bathroom window.

Today the temperature had dropped, we could see our breath at times and gloves will need digging out very soon. Very odd to think that just a few days ago we were in t-shirts. The forecast for the next few days suggests rain and high winds again at the weekend. So we hope to find a suitable mooring off the coming river section and away from big trees, however there may be no internet near Froghall.

3 locks, 4.06 miles, 1 wind, 1 tunnel, 1 pulling off, 1 over, 1 under, 180 degrees, 2 just SO close, 0 photos to prove it! 97 miles, 1 stove with 2 jackets baking, 23 trees shouted at, 19 climbed, 4 dry paws today.

Leek

The wind had died down enough last night for us to be able to sleep well, maybe our sleep was also assisted by the extra glass of wine! But this morning it was still quite blustery, so we were glad we had no plans to move on.

We both hopped onto the No 18 bus which took us back to Hanley. The countryside round here is ever so hilly, as soon as the bus levelled out it then had to go up or down again. This did make for very good views as we travelled along the A53. I jumped off shortly before Hanley and left Mick to carry on to the bus station.

My mission was to see if my wool order had arrived at Norwood Post Office. I’d had an email saying that it had been dispatched yesterday morning, so I was hopeful. It turned out to be the easiest Post Restante delivery ever, 3 minutes walk from the bus stop, the lady turned round and handed me my parcel. Brilliant!

I then walked up another hill to then go down the other side and into Hanley on the hunt for some small moisture traps and some more crystals for the ones we’ve already got. For those who don’t live on a boat, they are prone to condensation. When the temperature drops again we are likely to wake up to condensation on the windows each morning just from us breathing over night. LPG gas gives off moisture as you cook adding to the damp air. So closed cupboards tend to be prone to damp, especially those a distance away from the warming stove. I’ve already deployed a couple of moisture traps in cupboards at the bow, but wanted some that I can put in our clothes cupboards and under the bed. Under our mattress the bed base has circular holes cut for ventilation. Between our large drawers in this space is a gap which can only be reached by putting your hand through one of the holes. Our long damp traps wouldn’t work in this space as turning them to remove them would empty the water back in there, defeating having them in the first place.

A search round all the likely shops came up with nothing, but in Poundland you could buy two for £1! I got four as they may not be reusable, although if I can find more crystals we should be able to refill them.

Mick in the meantime had changed buses at Hanley, the No 4 which would take him to Tim Tylers yard for our second parcel. This second bus took an eternity due to road works , but in the end he got there and picked up the awaiting new water pump. Three narrowboats were in various stages of construction in the workshop, no photos sorry. He then caught the next bus back to Hanley only pausing to get a bite to eat on the way.

I decided to stay on my returning bus and have a bit of a look around Leek. Originally a market town, holding a cattle market for hundreds of years. After the Industrial Revolution the town turned to the textile industry, much like Macclesfield with silk. Some of the mills still stand and the obvious wealth that silk brought is seen with large half timbered buildings. Down some of the side streets I spied the familiar windows at the tops of the houses where garret rooms would be filled with a weaving looms making the most of the natural light. One for sale has an attractive basement with curved ceilings. Whoever wrote the blurb thinks they might win the next Booker prize!

The town is now filled with charity shops and numerous enticing pubs. A large market square still has weekly stalls and the Butter Market has stands several times a week. Wilko came up trumps with a couple of mats for me to cut down for our steps into the boat. Now loaded up and one more hill to descend I headed back to Oleanna a further visit into Leek may be on the cards.

Mick arrived back soon after Tilly had headed off into the sideways trees, she wouldn’t get blown into the canal today. The new pump is a Jabsco which luckily fitted where the original Sureflo had been. After they were swapped over some blue roll was left underneath so that we could check for leaks. The original pump will stay with us until we know what Finesse want to do with it.

Shortly before Tillys allotted time outside had expired she returned meowing at the back door. A quick check for friends and she was allowed in, only to discover that she was very wet! I was stood watching the Canadians swim by and then there was this sudden gust of wind right up my bum! It made me jump! For the next hour whilst she washed herself dry she insisted on sitting anywhere where there wasn’t a towel.

0 locks, 0 miles, 5 buses, 2 parcels, 7 balls of wool, 1 wedgwood blue a lilac colour, 1 water pump, 4 damp traps, 1 exciting hardware shop, 2 mats, 1 chicken, 20p of root ginger, 1 wet tail, 3 muddy soaked legs, 1 very tired cat, 1 calmer cooler day.

Leek Canal Terminus

Having watched the weather forecasts over the last couple of days get worse Mick decided to not risk getting a bus over to Tim Tylers today, there was a chance that by the time he was on his way back that the buses might have been grounded due to the wind. We also wanted to be around should anything happen, not that we’d have been able to do much with a bread knife!

As the wind blustered around us we pottered the morning away, a couple more boats arrived, winded and then found themselves moorings one behind us the other at the front. Mick made sure that things that couldn’t be tied down were removed from the roof and brought into the pram cover. We even wondered whether it would be best to take down and remove the pram cover and frame, but decided to make sure it was fully closed with all poppers firmly done up.

Gradually the morning turned red. Smoke and dust had been whipped up by Hurricane Ophelia and was having an effect on the sun. All very eerie and other worldly, just as it would be before an eclipse. But today it went on for far longer, hours.

Tilly had been allowed out first thing but probably because of the wind she came back after a short while. Huffy Fuffy blowing up your bum! No good that!! So we then had to spend the rest of the day with her shouting at the doors to be let out, by now the wind was getting stronger and we didn’t want her to be blown away, but you try explaining that to a cat who obviously had unfinished business to attend to.

I walked up to Morrisons for a few bits and thought that the wind wasn’t so bad, I’ve certainly known it worse in Scarborough. A couple of hire boats had appeared and winded (most probably helped by the wind direction today) and then disappeared heading straight back into the wind. We wondered how many boats had taken refuge on the other side of the tunnel, so went for a walk. Much to our surprise there were no boats there. The sun had now returned to it’s normal colour and the skies were blue, so we decided to walk along the hill to do a circle back to the boat.

From above the tunnel there were great views across the valleys and all those trees. Our route brought us to the road into Leek, from there we followed the feeder channel back to the end of the canal. Quite windy, but nothing extreme. We settled down for the rest of the afternoon and evening. We found that the volume on the TV gradually had to be turned up, then running the engine helped to block out the now howling gale outside. Suspect nobody would have noticed should we have left it running past 8pm. Mick every now and then went into the pram cover with a torch to check that all was okay. The plank and poles vibrated on their rack for much of the evening despite being tied down. Thank goodness we’d found a good silted up bit of canal to sit out the storm in. Not quite into the side and on a soft bottom Oleanna sat quite happily, not able to bump the armco and no fenders were needed. All we got was the occasional rocking as the cabin side tilted in the gusts.

It was around midnight before it started to calm down outside, we’d decided to wait to go to bed as neither of us would have been able to sleep, which gave us the excuse of another glass of wine!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 red sun, 1 eerie day, 6 apples, 5 bananas, 4 toilet rolls, 1 bum needing protection, 1 shouting cat, 1 ghost train, 1 diddy feeder, 2 portions Lasagne, 3 glasses each, 7th bag completed, 6/7 hours of major wind.

Brindley Statue to Long Butts Lift Bridge

When Mick turned on his tablet this morning it wasn’t feeling too good. The Android chap seemed to have at least fainted or had he died! Some hunting around on the internet suggested that there may be a solution, but that would have to wait until later in the day. October is a bad time for things like this to die, too long til Christmas to live without one and too close to Christmas to just go out and buy one. Fingers crossed that it could be mended.

Once a newspaper had been bought we winded Oleanna and returned to the services to fill with water and empty our yellow water tank which is so much easier with the port side to the tow path. We’d just tied up when a boat turned in off the Trent and Mersey to fill up. They asked if they could pull along side as there wasn’t enough room, so we passed their ropes around Oleanna`s dollies and chatted as our water tank filled. NB Knightlow is a couple of months newer than Oleanna and was built by MGM. The last couple of times we’ve passed the workshops on the Soar there had been a bright green boat sitting there, now it was breasted up to us, glad we’re no longer yellow as that would have woken up the whole of Staffordshire! Apparently they will be in the next issue of Waterways World, a nice looking boat with a lovely couple, maybe our paths will cross again next year.

Once we were filled and empty we winded at the junction and returned to start our ascent up the Caldon Canal. We’ve only been this way once before with our friend Frank on board as we moved NB Winding Down to a new base further south. Then it was cold, snow in the air we even got iced in for a day up at Leek. Today was the opposite, mid October and we were down to t-shirts, around 20C.

First off was Etruria Staircase. A boat was just finishing going up in the top chamber so I could empty the bottom one. Mick brought Oleanna in and once the chamber above was free I lifted the paddles to fill the lower chamber with it’s water. The top chamber was built bigger then the lower one, so there is an overflow (a bit like in a bath) that takes the excess water off to the side into the bywash. The overflow isn’t unique to here a lot of staircases have them, but it is a little unnerving as the water you have just let down starts to disappear out to the side until the chambers are level.

I decided to walk between locks arriving before Oleanna and able to reset the next chamber. We’d forgotten to get our Nicholsons guide out so were working from memory from 2013. I could have sworn there was another lock before we left the environs of Stoke, but somehow it had evaporated! One good thing being on the towpath was that I could take photos as we passed under the low bridges to see how much if any clearance there was above our chimney. These are some of the lowest bridges we’ve been under (Ashton and Droitwich Canals still to do).

At Bridge 8 we had around 16 inches of clearance.

At Bridge 9, the lowest, we had 8 inches clearance. Phew! We could now enjoy the Caldon.

At Bridge 11 I turned the key of power and raised the road, only holding up one, then decided to walk on to the next lock. This of course was where it had evaporated from, the pound now being 4.7 miles long! On a warm afternoon it was a pleasant walk crunching my way over crab apples whilst Mick brought Oleanna along behind. New buildings have gone up, mostly what look like student accommodation and new mooring rings have been provided along quite a few stretches.

On I walked past football matches further into the green, whilst Mick made slow progress a couple of the tight bends he couldn’t do in one holding him up. On a couple of long straights (not that long) I’d wait to see the bow come into sight before carrying on, that next lock must just be around the next bend surely! By Bridge 18, after 4 miles I decided to hitch a ride the rest of the way, making note that the local chippy does gluten free batter three days a week for our return.

Once up Engine Lock there are a couple of lift bridges, we were wanting to stop, but nowhere seemed to be suitable so we carried on. The first bridge is key operated and makes a prolonged squeak as it rises and then a slightly higher pitched squeak as it takes forever to go down. As I got repetitive strain holding onto the button I felt as though I was in an Ayckbourn play sound track, sheep bleating in a field, general bird song with the odd diva singing out way above the others and the comedy squeeeeak of the bridge. After the second bridge (hand wound) we pulled in on a straight section of armco, more or less where we’d stopped on WD.

Much of the late afternoon and evening was spent with Mick watching an instructive video of how to reflash the stock ROM on his tablet to try to get the Android chap back on his feet. As parts were watched over and over I really wished the fella in the video would blow his nose as his sniff was really irritating. But when all of a sudden Android man got off his back the sniffing man was forgiven, all was mended.

4 locks, 2 a staircase, 6.05 miles, 3 lift bridges holding 1 up, 1 proper poorly Android man, 2 winds, 20 degrees in October, 1 vanished lock, 4 mile walk looking for it, 1 cat not enamoured by horses, 1 nice roof to sit on, 4 frozen sausages still frozen, 0 toads in the hole, 1 Christmas present dilemma sorted, 1 standing man.

Brindley Statue

With it being windy and the occasional strong gust we decided to stay put for the day. My lovely (half) clean roof had become disguised overnight with a thick carpet of leaves and the towpath has nearly reached good leaf kicking depth.

Before heading up the Caldon we needed to restock on a few bits of food, so the two of us walked up the hill to Hanley where the glowing Tesco sign sits on the hill. We did a reasonable shop, but not too much for Mick to carry back down the hill. I then headed further upwards in search of another wool shop at intu Potteries. Google maps is very handy apart from when it can’t tell you what floor a shop is on. It had me walking through the shopping centre, around the back, then back down the side I’d already walked from and I’d apparently reached my destination outside a chip kiosk! Inside I visited each floor in turn and eventually saw signs for the Market Hall.

Sadly my original thoughts on Hanley knitters were just reinforced with only acrylic yarns available, at least Abakhan had one or two 100% wool yarns. Hunting through all the wools I managed to find some that I could double up to make some hats with.

Having walked up into Hanley via a different route today I found myself in the Cultural Quarter, museums, arts centres and galleries. Worth having a proper look at another time. One building stood out which is currently empty on the corner of Albion Street and Bethesda Street. Originally the Staffordshire Potteries Waterboard Company offices built in 1858, it is Grade 2 listed. A very pretty building with it’s tiled archways over the windows, it looks like it’s been iced by an expert. The area it sits in has had a lot of work going on, new offices fill the area and opposite it is planned to install a Spitfire to commemorate Hanley born Reginald Mitchell who designed the plane.

Sadly our plan of getting a new pump delivered to Tim Tylers today hadn’t come off as they don’t work Fridays. Mick had been trying to work out where else we could get it sent to, but in the end we decided to stick to the plan of Tim’s and one of us will catch a bus there when it arrives.

My second lot of bags arrived with my friend Julia today, even before she put them on her Etsy shop one was already sold! So I’d better getting ripping up more fabric. A check on Post Restante at a Post Office a bit further up the canal, they actually knew what I was talking about, came up trumps so I’ve placed an order for some proper wool to be delivered to me there. Looks like the dark evenings are going to be busy.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 uphill walk, 1 down hill walk, 5728 leaves, 2 many people, 1 very interesting mill, 1 slightly dusty cat, 1 water pump on its way, 3 projects run out of wool, 3 balls on the way, 1 hat made.

Brook House Winding Hole to Etruria, Brindley Statue

What a difference to yesterday, the sun was busy drying everything out as we set off to head up into Stoke. Someone had been busy yarn bombing the foot bridge over to the Wedgwood visitors centre, I wonder if they plan to carry on right across the mesh?

As we approached Stoke Bottom Lock a boat was just appearing through the gates, we’d timed our arrival well. The chap at the helm then told us that there were volunteers on, so we’d timed it very well. I hopped off and sure enough leaning on the bottom gates were two lockies. We were told we’d be getting the full service up the locks. With me helping work one side, a volunteer would work the other, then close up afterwards whilst the other chap had walked ahead to set the next lock ready for us. This made our passage very speedy.

The two chaps were very jolly and helpful. I asked where they considered to be best to moor, Etruria or Festival Park. ‘Etruria everytime’ I was told. I then explained that we were going to the New Vic to see a show tonight, he still thought Etruria would be best, not a direct route to the theatre but more pleasant through a housing estate and the mooring would be far quieter. It turns out that he has tickets to see the same show in a couple of weeks, so we passed the time whilst waiting for the locks to fill chatting about plays.

On reaching the summit we did the steep (handbrake) right turn onto the bottom of the Caldon Canal and found ourselves a mooring right outside Etruria Industrial Museum. We’ve moored here before on our shareboat, but never managed to time a visit when the museum has been open. After lunch I decided to celebrate Oleanna having just completed her 1000th mile by giving her a wash in the sunshine. With two buckets of water, a scrubbing brush and various cloths I set too with the intention of washing the roof. With one side complete I considered doing the other side, but that would mean removing everything from the roof and balancing on the gunnel, the port side could wait. I just had enough shampoo to wash down the cabin side, gunnels far too low to bother with here.

As I washed Oleanna Mick volunteered to help a couple down the locks as the lockies had just finished for the day. We’d stood chatting to them and they’d missed their turn, so it was the least we could do. They were soon followed by a couple of single handers, so Mick carried on to the lock where the railway crosses to give them a hand, saving them climbing ladders. As he returned he spotted NB Halsal coming down the staircase so waved him down for some coal. Our gas bottle had just run out, but we’ll get a new one from the Calor gas place about 100yards away as it’s much cheaper.

Back at Etruria boats came winded and topped up their water tanks. One backed in in front of us, NB Ploddinon. Last summer our paths had crossed several times, Boston, the Chesterfield, Goole so we had quite a chat with them.

This evening we walked through the housing estate past The Holy Inadequate pub (one day we’ll sample their beers) crossed the busy A53 and A500, the footpath takes you across the roundabout and then we climbed up the hill to the theatre. I have brought several shows here in the past, both from the Stephen Joseph Theatre and Hull Truck. Only once have I designed a show just for the New Vic and that was 11 years ago, a production of Oleanna, a David Mamet play. So it felt like we had to pay a visit. This is the first time that we have managed to coincide with a show whilst we’ve been here. It was the first night of the new Ayckbourn play ‘A Short History Of Women’ that has come over from Scarborough.

A journey through 60 years of the life of an unremarkable man and the remarkable women who loved, left or lost him and of the equally remarkable manor house which saw and heard it all. It is funny and touching and worth a visit if you are either in Stoke or Bowness later in the year. I suspect it will also be touring come January along with ‘Taking Steps’ an Ayckbourn classic.

With it being first night there were a couple of familiar faces from Scarborough, so we stayed for a beer and catch up with them in the bar after the show.

6 locks, 5.53 miles, 1000 miles in total! 1 right, 0.5 washed boat, 0.5 filthy boat, 2 familiar boats, 2 volunteers, 3 bags coal, 3 rounds short of wool for a hat, 1st night at New Vic, 81st Ayckbourn, £14, 12 people, 1 Denzil, 1 Paul, 1 new deputy technician, 1 catch up from home.

Bridge 85 to Brook House Winding Hole

The forecast for today wasn’t so good, rain after a dry morning, sadly we had a delayed start. For the last couple of days I’ve noticed a slightly different noise from the water pump, which is situated under the front steps. I tend to hear things like this more than Mick and it normally gets dismissed. However this morning I decided to actually go so far as to lift the lid on the bottom step and have a look to see if there was anything obvious. There was, water! Not much but enough for my fingers to be wet. We’d had a small leak here before which when Andy from Finesse came to check it out seemed to have fixed itself, well it has now unfixed itself!

Mick tried tightening screws, but they were already tight. The leak is coming from a join in the casing and only drips when the pump is being used. Yesterday we’d done a couple of loads of washing and had a shower, so it had worked hard. Strategic positioning of a nappy under the drip to keep us going and an email sent to Finesse. We’re not sure about warranties on such things, do they start from when we picked her up six months ago? Or from when things were first fitted? So maybe a year. We decided to see if the chandlers in Stone had a pump as we passed through today.

After a couple of miles we were at Aston Lock and swapped with a hire boat. At the first two locks into Stone we did the same again. On the second boat there was an antipodean couple who had just had a month on a hire boat. She was asking so many questions about living on board fulltime, she definitely has the bug but the look on her husbands face suggested that he needed a bit of working on before he’d consider buying a boat.

We pulled into the chandlers mooring and as Mick started to chat to them about pumps I went into town for some fresh veg and to post my latest creations for my friends Etsy shop. When I returned Mick had moved up to the water point and was busy filling and emptying tanks. As thought, the chandlers couldn’t help us as we need a 24volt pump. Whilst I’d been out Ricky had emailed back from Finesse, the pump would still be in warranty and they would send us out a replacement pump if we let them know where we were.

Moving up the last two Stone locks the heavens opened, as it was lunchtime we pulled over as soon as we could and retreated inside. Some thought was put to where a new pump could be sent to in the next couple of days. As we were heading through Stoke we’d be able to pick it up from Tim Tylers in Newcastle, so we rang Ricky and suggested this. Talks about bow thrusters followed and they will have a look when they come to see us next as it may not be weed causing the problem, just a coincidence. News on our third battery was good, they have tracking on it and it should be with them in the next few days! So hopefully soon Oleanna will be sorted power wise. Fingers crossed!

The rain subsided and we were wanting to get a bit further today. We passed a lot of old work boats moored up before Meaford Locks, including Tench, is there going to be a gathering of some sort? NB Hadar was moored a bit further up too. All the locks seemed to be set against us and as I walked up to set the third lock the heavens opened again. This time we had to carry on to clear the flight. The slow filling chamber at the last but one took it’s time. When we’d come down it took two people to move the beam to open the top gate, I’d checked with Mick that he’d be okay doing this on his own before I walked on. Just as I reached the top lock a hire boat was just entering it and with spare crew one headed down to help Mick with the gate.

Once up, I retired inside to get the fire going and left Mick at the helm with a brolli. It rained for much of the two miles to Barlaston where we’d moored on our way south. But as soon as we were moored up again the sun came out. Looks like we had little rain compared to those further north. Tilly was straight off and into the sideways trees, returning a couple of hours later with absolutely drenched legs! I think she’d been paddling somewhere.

9 locks, 7.2 miles, 2 soakings, 1 leaking water pump, 8 fingers crossed, 1 full water tank, 1 empty yellow tank, 4 drenched paws, 1 spare water pump on the wish list.

Taft Bridge 69 to Lower Burston Bridge 85

After breakfast Mick climbed into his waders.  He then lowered himself into the water and undid the nuts that hold the grill covering the end of the bow thruster tube. With the water at below waist height the only part of him that got wet was his arm pit and of course his arm. His finger tips could just touch the prop, not enough to be able to sus what was happening, or not happening. Using our prop mate he was able to turn the prop in both directions quite freely. So it seems as if there is nothing obstructing it on that side. There could be something causing the problem on the starboard side of course. This would mean mooring somewhere shallow with the tow path on the other side. Wading out to the other side of the bow would not be a sensible idea, passing boats, depth of water, submerged stuff all sorts of hazards. When we find a suitable place he’ll have another go, but as the prop is off centre he will only be able to feel if there is an obstruction in the tube. If that doesn’t come up with anything then Oleanna will need to come out of the water at some point to see what the problem is and why it keeps blowing a fuse.

Once he was out of the water and tools packed away we could carry on heading northwards. The sun kept showing it’s face which made us feel like summer had returned. The washing machine went on whilst we worked our way back to Great Haywood where we pulled in to fill the tank and dispose of rubbish. The waders lying on the roof looked like Mick had totally shrunk away to nothing, or evaporated into a puff of smoke.

We carried on retracing ourselves occasionally meeting other boats at the few locks. One was NB Zelda who we’d shared the locks through Wigan with, suspect we’ll see them again in a few weeks as we both plan to cruise the Llangollen Canal. Another boat came around a bend just before a lock and being surprised that we were there he ended up ploughing straight on and into the offside, which took a little bit to get out of.

Across the fields there was what looked like a rather elaborate tree house, with a full rope walkway to reach it. Maybe next time we pass it might be worth going for a walk to have a better look.

The afternoon was so warm, we wondered if it was possible to barbecue a steak pie and jacket potatoes. But as we moored up the warmth of the sun disappeared and put us off the idea of sitting out.

5 locks, 9.13 miles, 1 very short Mick, 1 soggy arm pit, 0 zero zilch, 1 straight on, 0 fleeces required, 1 full water tank, 2 loads washing, 6.30pm getting dark not good for drying clothes outside, 1 friend confiscated off the sofa, 2 chilly for a barbecue.