Category Archives: Wildlife

The Sandwich Dive. 17th June

Seabrook Lock 35 to Little Tring Winding Hole, Wendover Arm

Back to the alarm being set at the new normal time this morning. As we had breakfast we could hear water cascading over the lock gates this meant a boat was heading down the lock above, brilliant the next two locks would be set for us.

Well that’s what we thought the last time we moored here, two years ago when we were waiting to accompany NB Tyseley up to the summit pound! Several boats beat us to the lock that day, but today no one came past. Brilliant.

I walked up to open the gates, hang on! It’s full, very full!?! Nobody had come past us, so how had that happened? Oh well, I emptied the lock and then we brought Oleanna up. Lock 36 was also full. This puzzled us as the lock had remained empty overnight, the only explanation I could think of was that the towpath grass cutters were out, two strimmers and a lawn mower. The grass had been cut on the off side of the second lock, maybe for safety the chaps fill the lock before trimming the grass. It’s not as far to fall when full.

The large expanse of grass alongside lock 36 was getting a very good trim. I thought the chap would stop once he’d gone behind the bench, then carry on down the towpath to lock 35. New cutting regimes have been put into practice along certain stretches of the canal. Some places now only the towpath, lock and bridge landings and moorings get cut, leaving stretches of wild flowers to grow to their hearts content.

Wading through long damp grass isn’t that pleasant, but surely on such a large expanse by this lock they could have cut by the lock and bench, then a wide strip for the path, leaving the rest to nature. Sadly no, it all had to be cut.

Is that the tip of the cat’s tail or just bird poo?

In the past there have been a couple of boats along here, but today just about every spot was taken. Is this down to more boats on the waterways? More boats having moved out from London over the last 18 months? Who knows but there is a marked increase.

The swing bridge swung without too much bother, then we dipped under the railway past Pitstone Wharf. Mick had collected together our rubbish on the back deck so I got ready to hop off at the next bridge to dispose of it. We quite often see photos of bins overflowing with rubbish on social media and people complaining about them.

Today we were confronted with not just a mountain of rubbish but a whole mountain range! There was more rubbish on the floor surrounding the bins than they could hold twice over! Don’t people realise that Biffa are very unlikely to empty these bins in this state. Usually this means that a C&RT employee, who could be out working on navigational things, will have to come and remove the excess rubbish. Yes these bins are situated where none boaters can add to the mountain, they most probably do, but there is no need for more to be added to the pile. A tweet with photo was sent to C&RT saying we hoped we’d find emptier bins ahead of us. Later in the day I got a reply saying the local team would deal with it, they also gave me a link to a map showing all their facilities across the network, useful if you don’t have Waterway Routes.

We waved to the people who now own the Margees house on the bend and carried on to the two Marsworth Lower Locks. We came up the first one to see a boat entering the lock above, so we opened the gates and waited for them to descend, I walked up to lend a hand as one of the top gates just wants to stay open.

The chap up the top lifted a paddle and their boat started to descend, their engine wasn’t on and someone was reaching down into the weedhatch. The paddle was closed and we waited for the prop to have been cleared before emptying the lock.

By Bridge 130 the bins were in a much better state, so we hovered and disposed of our small mountain of rubbish before stopping at the wharf to top up the water tank and dispose of the yellow water at the elsan.

Left at the junction and we were soon at the bottom of the Marsworth flight. Volunteers were apparently on duty up the locks today, so we’d have help.

No sign of anyone until we were rising in the second lock, I could see blue t-shirts and red life jackets ahead, great they’d set the next lock for us. They waited quite sometime to do this, but eventually the gates opened.

The two chaps were chatty, worked the locks their way one offering to give me a break. I suspect he needed a break more than I did, I wonder how many locks they get to work on their average day?

With walkie talkies you would have thought they would be quite organised, but the conversations just seemed to confuse matters. Should we wait for a boat two locks behind us? One was coming down, would we meet in the next pound, at the next lock? No the lockie above would make the down hill boat wait and empty the full lock in front of him for us. There must have been a reason for this, but none we could think of.

A chap above was just starting to fill lock 44, saw us and closed the paddles, we could fill the lock for him. It turns out it was a boat we’d shared some of the Leicester Section locks with a few years ago NB Old Tom North. The volunteers left us to do the top lock on our own and shifted their assistance to the chap heading down the flight.

We’d thought of heading to Cowroast today, still ahead of schedule. But would there be any moorings free. Instead we both had the same idea, we’d turn right and go down the Wendover Arm for the night.

Blimey considering we’d come from the huge expense of the Ouse at Goole we were now finding our way along the narrow shallow channel.

A Sandwich Tern took advantage of us churning the water up.

It followed us closely, hovering by our stern. The when a glint of a possible fish appeared it swooped down to the waters surface.

I tried to film it, but it moved far too quickly and my camera had no idea what it should focus on.

Fortunately I did manage to get several photos of it just about in focus.

Boats were moored before the bridge and then at the winding hole, but the short straight length of bank was still free. Spikes were hammered into the dried out towpath and Tilly was set free to explore, although she wasn’t too enamoured. Well it was boring the last time you tied this outside up!

An afternoon of making model dressing bits. Working out how to make a wheelbarrow took some doing, a trestle table was much easier although I had to convince it to stay in one piece before I could chat to the Scarborough Chums on zoom.

Better look as though I’m enjoying myself!

In other news, there is now the first part of Heather’s trip to Hull on the Scholar Gypsy blog here’s a LINK

12 locks, 4.38 miles, 1 left, 1 right, 2 locks full, 3 walkie talkies, 1 wasted lock, 1 contract, 1 sandwich, 1 quiche, 1 muggy day, 4 light showers in the evening.

https://goo.gl/maps/7Yqezqj6Ja9whReMA

Are My Killing Days Over? Tilly Takeover. 21st February

Today is what She calls my ‘Gotcha day’. Five years ago I was quite happily clambering over the high edge of a pooh tray heading towards a scratch post, stopping to sniff and kill a mouse en route, when the She I’d been staying with picked me up and walked with me on her shoulder to the front door.

Here my She stood with a big smile on her face. I had a cuddle and a purr showed off my tail to She and her family and that was it. This was the day I became a boat cat.

Back then the back of the sofa was a good place to sit, that was when we lived on Lillian. Then on Oleanna the sofa had a secret passage behind it which only got revealed every now and again. Now we live in Scarboreugh the sofa keeps moving but always has a route behind it, which I find handy for getting to sit in the window.

Life has changed somewhat in the last five years. They no longer move the outside and there are far FAR too many other cats who visit my outside, both front and back! In the last five months I have not murdered anything! Trees are hard to come by apart from in the park and She doesn’t take me there quite as much as she used to.

However, the tree that Tom chopped down has been brought inside. I can now go through my door (when they bother to open it for me!) and climb it to my hearts content, not having to share it with every other cat in the neighbourhood. It’s quite cool and I can stand at the top and sneer at Bogey Face and Fatty Betty who don’t have their own tree.

You may think that I am now a house cat. I would disagree. I still get the same rules before I go out ‘You have an hour, no friends home dead or alive or putting them on the roof for later’. I still have to find a route that is accessible to the roof. I get ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies. And quite frequently get told ‘Boat cats don’t claw furniture’ or ‘Boat cats don’t bite’. Lockdown in a house is boring so I have to find new ways to amuse myself.

The highlights of my day are at getting up time and bedtime. My birthday present from last year may have lost numerous feathers now, but it is still tops. She swings it round and I pounce from one end of the bed to the other. I stalk it and wait for it to come out from the Wardle room.

I do get to look out above the trees when She and I go to work. There is lots of this happening right now. I have been given a cushion to sit on so that I won’t try to squeeze into the model box anymore, She’s been busy making things to go inside it, they are poisonous! When we worked on Oleanna everything used to get tidied up every day and put away. Well She is now very very lazy and leaves everything out. Standards are slipping.

Tom says that three years ago She wondered what I’d make of life in a house. Well there is a lot more room to run around after visiting my pooh box and good windows to sit and look out of. But the lack of friends is the serious down side along with there being too many cats. She says that one day, hopefully soon, we’ll be back on Oleanna and they’ll be moving the outside again. We just have to get to the other side of this lockdown and the breach. So my killing days may not be over.

0 locks, 0 miles, 5 years second mate, 4 white paws, 1 white tipped tail, 5 months house bound, 1 lockdown and breach to pounce over, 3rd sofa, 1 tree of my very own, 2 cat walks, 3 cushions, 2 many cats, 0 friends, 2 lifes, 60 miles apart.

This post is also available on Tilly’s own blog

Watch For The Bubbles. 16th August

Oxclose Lock to Ripon Canal Basin

Rain. We’ve not had much of that of late, our mooring last night meant we heard the best of it being under trees. I do remember a boat here before that moored on the offside so as to avoid the added noise. Six years ago we waited to see the effect of a passing storm, not wanting to be caught out in York if the river rose. The added water passed through a day after the storm so we weren’t held up too long.

Today we decided that as we’d only got a couple of hours cruise up the canal to do before tomorrow afternoon then Tilly could decide when we left. Typical letting me out when it was raining! I made the most of it, taking my time.

Julie the Lock Keeper walked down to check the bywash and give things a once over. Mick popped out for a chat and to see if she knew if there would be space up at the basin. There might be a couple of boats but there should be space for us. Mooring is limited up here, about ten visiting boats can be accommodated on the canal, but then it is only just over 2 miles long.

It had stopped raining so I gave Tilly a call, just as Julie was heading back up the towpath. We had a chat about all things cat and she hoped Tilly would return soon. Just as she walked away I could hear Tilly’s bell deep in the friendly cover behind the sideways trees.

I’m busy!

Tilly wasn’t coming in, she’d found a friend. After a while I could hear her bell again and encouraged her to come home, picking her up and plonking her through the side hatch to make sure we wouldn’t be stuck any longer.

Setting off we had over a mile to cover before arriving at our first lock. The towpath was busy. People stopping to look at birds, there are several large lakes just to the east of the canal and they seemed to be filled with noisy geese today. There also seemed to be some activity at the racecourse, but from our low level on the canal we couldn’t see what was happening, even standing on the stern lockers didn’t get me high enough to see over the hedge.

The two locks up to the basin had been a tight squeeze on Lillian but today we knew we had an extra foot to play with, we still needed to enter the locks and tuck Oleanna behind a gate to close the other side. Bell Furrows Lock top gates were leaking like a right b**ger and as Mick brought Oleanna in he exclaimed, ‘Oh Eck!’ Glad I had removed the quarantined flour from the well deck.

The top paddles on the locks have C&RT padlocks on them, I’d forgotten to take a key with me, but one was soon passed up. Oleanna stayed on a diagonal until she’d risen well past the cill, plenty of gongoozlers about to watch her slow ascent. One chap at Rhodesfield Lock wanted to help me with the lock beam, but that would have been too close for comfort, it wasn’t that heavy anyway.

I made sure I closed up the paddles fully and that all gates were closed, not many boats about, but those that sat on moorings would appreciate not finding themselves on the bottom in the morning.

The lock cottage is currently up for sale. In need of a lick of paint on the exterior it is a nice looking Grade 2 house, just a shame about the road so close behind it.

We pulled in at the services, another boat NB Otter sitting on the 48hr mooring here making it a touch awkward to pull in for a water point. When the canal was restored I suspect they didn’t expect boats of our length to visit so none of the three sides available to moor up to are quite long enough for us. Mick brought us in at a jaunty angle, I was ready at the bow to hop off with a rope.

Once we’d cut the corner we needed to pull back to make sure the canal in front of us was clear, should a widebeam have been heading down the canal we’d have blocked its way. All settled we connected the hose. Now if you think the water point at Hillmorton Locks is slow, here is a serious contender to being even slower! Once a minute of flow had come through the pipe the dribble started to fill up our water tank. Bins were sorted, then we waited and waited. Good job the tank was 1/2 full to start with. We waited, then gave up at 3/4 full, we could always top up again on our return.

Not far to the visitor moorings where we had the stretch to ourselves, we pulled up at the far end.

This looked good, plenty of sideways trees. But she said what lay behind those sideways trees was death! I didn’t like the sound of that so went to sleep instead.

It must have been quite peaceful here during lockdown with the lack of traffic, but as the evening progressed it quietened down. A chap sat on one of the benches and chatted away loudly on his phone. Tilly sat bolt up right, was she earwigging the chap? She jumped onto the Houdini shelf and looked out of the window, we’d seen no ducks, just what was keeping her attention?

I opened up the hatch to see a brown slithering body arch and dive back into the water infront of me, 10 to 12 foot away. An otter!

We watched as the bubbles moved around, the otter resurfacing for it’s next lung full of air, then letting it gradually go as it swam around under the water.

Wow! So close. Understandably our evening meal could wait as we watched for bubbles and for it to resurface.

It gradually moved it’s way down the canal towards the locks, the chap on the bench started talking again, he’d been waiting for it too.

2 locks, 2.08 miles, 4 hours shore leave, 1 Lock Keeper, 1 extreamly slow tap, 0 rubbish, 1 otter boat, 2 boaters watching the levels, 1 cat watching her new friend, 1 friend a touch too big to play with!

https://goo.gl/maps/ynBsuBcJjWmq4GLj9

The Bottom And Bottomless. 7th August

Granary Wharf to Woodlesford Lock, Aire and Calder Navigation

Being moored in a city centre you expect noise and because we tend to moor in different places most days we tend to ignore air conditioning droning, dawn choruses, the odd bit of railway noise. But last night there must have been workers on the tracks above our heads as several trains, one at 2:15, sounded their horn! This and it being a warm night didn’t make for a good nights sleep.

With a plan for the morning, shopping, top up the water tank and then be on our way to find some trees we woke fairly early. Mick got up to put the kettle on. I could hear him open up the back doors. ‘Uh, the water’s gone!’ I got up and sure enough we were on quite a list, both side to side and front to back.

As we’d gone to bed last night we’d heard gurgling, but hadn’t put two and two together. Our bow rope was really rather tight, we wouldn’t be going anywhere as we were sat on the bottom, but I headed out in my pyjamas to loosen it off, reducing the strain it was under.

We were on the bottom, so were the floating pontoons

The two boats that had followed us down the locks yesterday (The Strawberry Island boats) were getting ready to push off, topping up on water. They had been to check the paddles at River Lock and had noticed a pump, that wasn’t back pumping from the river. They had found a security guard who had the ability to turn the pump on and they were now waiting for levels to resume, getting us all off the bottom.

Mick headed off to pick up some bits of shopping before we had breakfast, hoping there would be some improvement on his return. But despite some gurgling around Oleanna’s hull the level hadn’t risen sufficiently to get us off the bottom.

The Strawberry Island crew were wanting to be off. One of them had been up to Office Lock and lifted a paddle, letting quite a lot of water down. The level improved, but not enough for us to be floating again. They had been warned yesterday not to tie to the walls as the levels can drop. They had followed this advice and breasted up on one of the pontoons, one boat in bow first the other stern first.

The boat alongside the pontoon seemed to be floating, the boats were untied and one could be reversed, the other still hard aground. They tried all sorts to get moving, a rope pulling them that way, a rope the other way, a rope to the other boat which only moved the free boat towards the one stuck hard. I’m not sure, but I suspect more water was let down and eventually both boats were floating again, off they went down the lock.

We were still sat at an angle. Mick tried to push us off, but no luck. The pump was still back pumping from the river, so hopefully that would improve things. The level dropped with the use of the lock. Then it appeared that the pump was only keeping up with the amount of water draining out of the pound, so we would remain on the bottom until more water could be sent down. We called C&RT.

Mick got through to customer services and then ‘any other enquiries’. The chap on the other end of the phone did his best to help. Leeds Liverpool Canal, between Locks 1 and 2, River and Office Lock. ‘So that’s in Liverpool’ ‘No,Liverpool is 127.25 miles away’. In the end the chap knew where we were lacking water and said someone would call back. They did a short while later and said a team were already sending water down.

So all we could do was wait. A walk around the basin and up to Office Lock where two C&RT vans were parked but no signs of anyone, water certainly wasn’t being run through the lock. The pump pumped away, it’s large thick pipes decorated with spray paint so that they didn’t become a trip hazard.

I kept myself busy too. More calculations were required for ascending the big curved wall. I took my time as I wanted to get it right first time as there was a camera crew filming Toms descending. They were coming down backwards (very wise) but with the assistance of ropes, I suppose it’s because Toms don’t have claws to help cling on.

A load of washing was just about to be hung out when all of a sudden a wave of water came across the basin, Oleanna lifted from her resting place just a touch. We and the Barley crew immediately jumped into action, no thinking about it this time. We quickly rolled back the covers, washing hung up inside to dry. I was able to give Oleanna a push and Mick reversed off following Barley to turn to face the lock.

River Lock needed topping up a touch, this was done once both boats were out from the pontoons, in case the level dropped again. The surge of water had been provided by NB Tobias coming down the lock, they were now moored up on a wall in front of the Hilton, possibly the quietest spot at the Wharf.

With the gates open Barley and Oleanna headed into the safety of the lock, the bottom paddles lifted, we had escaped! Phew!!

Oleanna now having completed the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was on the Aire and Calder Navigation. We led the way, there only being one set of steps to reach your boat we had to take it in turns, so Jenny closed up behind us.

The width and depth of the river were such a relief, no grounding here. You could tell Oleanna was enjoying blowing the cobwebs away travelling down the river at speed. Past the old warehouses, new tower blocks, bridges old and new.

At Leeds Lock I hopped off and opened the gates using the key of power. This was to be our last shared lock with NB Barley and the last short lock until we reach Linton Lock on the River Ouse. Both boats were mindful of the overhanging walkway on the bottom gates and kept their distance. I closed the gates, dropped the paddles and the hopped onto Oleanna, Jenny taking charge at the other end of the lock.

A wave goodbye to NB Barley as we exited, they planned to stay another day on the river in Leeds, guaranteed to still be afloat in the morning. We headed off downstream aiming to find some trees for Tilly.

Blimey it was hot out there, a breeze making it bearable. A graffiti artist was at work underneath Richmond Bridge. The first colour gold had gone on for his large tag, covering over previous small tags. I couldn’t quite make out if the two in gold before the one he was working on were also by him, being in gold they were hard to read.

Left onto the widened section of the river, passing people picnicking on the flood lock island. Cormorants sat on warehouse roofs and dipped into the water, diving to make up for their lack of buoyancy when on the surface.

At Knostrop Fall Lock, the first of the big ones, there was a boat just closing the gates to come up, a single hander who managed to get to the top control panel before I did. He was just heading to the off side to moor so we arranged for me to leave his key on top of the panel to collect later. Down we went, the key of power and my index finger doing their job.

Now on the long pound to Fishpond Lock, passing Thwaite Mills. The visitor mooring at the museum looks like it has new lighting. Plenty of space on their long term moorings, but these may be due to boats being out for the summer.

A high pitched chirp, followed by another. Two Kingfishers were showing us the way, darting ahead of us, keeping their distance. Too far for a photo, but close enough to amaze. One dipped into the water, but came up without a catch. They stayed with us for quite a distance, then one could be seen looping back round behind us along the towpath. This year we’ve seen so few Kingfishers, maybe they’ve all been self isolating.

A group of lads were jumping into the river by Concrete Bridge, the older lads stood on the bridge smoking, looking cool! The swimmers moved out of the way for us to pass. Another group swam with the aid of a life ring, we wondered where they’d got it from as they pulled one another out of the water with the attached rope. Surely they’d put it back when they finished with it!?

Fishpond Lock was in use, Hotel Boat Lady Teal heading back up to Leeds for a couple of days off before their next guests arrive. I chatted to the lady, who said their capacity had been affected by social distancing. Most trips had sorted themselves out, people who’d been shielding not wanting to risk a holiday yet, but there were some trips where they’d had to make difficult choices in deciding which group to turn away. We talked about the low water at Granary Wharf, she was of the opinion that someone wouldn’t have closed a paddle correctly and with the trip boat not currently running from the wharf the lock wouldn’t have been checked last night.

As gaps in the moorings showed themselves above Woodlesford Lock we decided stopping for the day, a mile or so and one lock before we’d planned. Back at River Lock we’d found a windlass on the bottom lock gate and had wondered if it belonged to one of the Strawberry Island boats. Here they were settled for the day, we slowed down as we passed, but neither of them recognised it. Oh well we’ve another now to add to our collection.

We pulled in just where the Aire bends round very close to the cut. Tilly went straight out and vanished very quickly into the friendly cover. Washing was hung in the pram cover with it’s sides still open. Curtains on the starboard side got closed as even though we were under trees we wouldn’t benefit from any shade until much later in the day.

It got hotter and hotter. We had a visit from an old black cat. He was very friendly and wanted to come and check out our boat, we thought that unwise so shooed it away. Thankfully we didn’t hear a cat fight anywhere and Tilly didn’t seem to notice that someone else had been using her cat walk!

Another load of washing was done making use of the free electricity being generated. Then Mick noticed an empty hanger under the pram cover. What had been on this hanger? A pair of pyjama bottoms of mine. But just where were they? The empty hanger was on the canal side, so only one thing could have happened, they’d fallen into the cut. We’d like to apologise now to the person who picks up some red tartan pyjama bottoms around their prop at some future date. I won’t be wanting them back, so if you can make use of them please do, they were clean and nearly dry when they got blown in.

4 locks, 6.04 miles, 0 swing bridges, 4 boats on the bottom, 2 escapees, 2 patient boats, 2 bacon butties, 1 ascent planned very carefully, 4 boaters on super fast speed to untie, 0 room at the armouries, 2 kingfishers, 4 evil birds, 9 swimmers, 1 hotel boat, 2 cats sharing the cat walk, 31 ish degrees, -1 pair of bottoms.

https://goo.gl/maps/VuyWH4xKRAvSuSgV6

Past The Point Of No Return. 22nd June

Tilly Railings to Stanier 1st Bridge 62

No shore leave this morning, this didn’t go down too well with the second mate, but at the moment we need to keep moving.

Mick made a phone call to Enterprise car hire. We’d booked a car from Congleton for two days to be able to get to York Hospital for an appointment on Wednesday. But yesterday we found out that the Congleton office is currently closed despite it suggesting otherwise on their website. The next few days have been planned like a military operation and our chosen mooring for the car was selected with locks, shopping, tea and hospital all in mind.

Our hire was moved to the Macclesfield office and luckily the chap today said that they would be able to drop the car off for us, but this would be sometime between 8:30 and 1pm. Returning the car would also have a similar window. This could cause problems on Thursday morning. We’d wanted to get rid of the car as early as possible to then make our way to the bottom of the Bosley flight to join the queue for the locks, a window of only a few hours! Two solutions were suggested, the keys could be picked up as early as they could manage, then the car would be retrieved when ever, or Mick could drive it to Macclesfield and get a cab back for which they would wave the fuel. Things looked more possible, time to move ourselves.

As we had our breakfast three boats went past. Will we be the last in line for the locks when we arrive on Thursday morning? Will we get through or have to wait until the locks reopen three days a week next month?

NB Cuba our locking friends from the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal

We pushed off saying goodbye to the huge bull and his diddy offspring in the field opposite. Before reaching Congleton we passed NB Cuba, was this the boat we shared the locks up to Sheffield with a couple of years ago? A quick look back at the blog and there was the same boat. Sadly no body was in view as we passed so we couldn’t say hello to Rob and Sue.

The foxgloves are doing well along here, sprouting out in gardens and long the towpath edge. Why is it that wild flowers such as foxgloves and rhododendrons are nearly always pink? I remember having white foxgloves in the garden in York.

It used to be a swing bridge as you can see from the curved stonework

Under Billy Tights Footbridge, does anyone know why it has this name? It used to be a swing bridge and the footbridge carries footpaths from one side of the canal to the other. But just who was Billy Tights? Answers on a postcard please.

Approaching Congleton we came across our first snake bridge, also known as roving bridges. These are bridges where the towpath changes sides of the canal and so that the rope didn’t have to be detached from the horse, the bridges snake round on both sides of the canal. You get them elsewhere, but the chaps who built the Macc did it with more style. However the first few of these bridges don’t flow quite so beautifully as those in Marple.

The curve up from the towpath meets the bridge at an angle, rather than continuing the curve, you’ll see what I mean in a couple of weeks when we reach Marple and I end up taking too many photos!

Across the aqueduct, a small version of the one in Nantwich, then the next snake bridge which is a touch more rounded, but still not quite there.

Bridge after bridge all different shapes and sizes

There then follows numerous bridges, high, rounded, square as you work your way past Congleton Railway Station. We took a train from here to Sheffield the day Oleanna got her name painted onto her side.

Then round the long bend with a good view of the viaduct, onto the long straight. Bridge after bridge after bridge line themselves up to pass under.

Alongside Buglawton gardens back onto the towpath, but each with a high hedge. One house looks like they have spent quite a bit of lockdown erecting new fencing on two tiers so nobody can see in or out!

About a mile further on we reached the last winding hole before Bosley Locks, the point of no return! If we didn’t make it up the locks on Thursday we’d have to reverse back to this point to wind, not an attractive proposition!

Before Stanier 1st Bridge 62 we pulled in, nudging back and forth to find suitably deep enough water for Oleanna to sit comfortably. Just a short distance away the busy A54 crosses the canal and here a handy layby to have a car delivered to tomorrow morning.

Tilly wasn’t that impressed as the sideways trees backed onto a track quite a long way down from the towpath. Alongside our mooring the water teamed with life.

The waterline was made up more of tadpoles than anything else all busy feeding on weed, we hoped they’d turn round and have a munch on the long growth on Oleanna’s hull. Some only had tails, others legs, stumpy tails, some already had markings despite being no longer then a centimetre long.

Then I spied something else below the water line. An armour plated alien creature. Checking on this ‘thing’ during the afternoon it must have turned round to show us it’s large clawed front legs. Was this a Signal Crayfish or a native crayfish? Only way to tell would be to lift it out of the water to check on colouring. Neither of us were too keen on doing this, so just let it be. If it had turned out to be a Signal Crayfish then we wouldn’t be allowed to return it to the water.

0 locks, 6.02 miles, 1 viaduct, 4 hours shore leave, 1 hire sorted, 1 order finalised, 53743 tadpoles, 1 alien about to chomp our toes, 3 masks finished.

https://goo.gl/maps/5X4HWxfojQqZJ9gLA

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

Into Civilisation. 14th June

Bonfire Night Mooring to Hannah’s Walk, Middlewich

With a jar of sourdough discard in the fridge we enjoyed some pancakes for breakfast. I decided not to put any blueberries in them, especially the frozen ones as I wanted to see what they were like plain. I still haven’t found the best temperature to cook them at. They have a glug of maple syrup in them, so if the pan is a touch too hot this caramelises before the mixture has cooked sufficiently in the centre to flip them over. Too cool and they take forever to cook through and look anaemic. By the last batch of them I had the temperature correct, well that’s how it goes with pancakes!

Verdict? I prefer them with blueberries in them.

Pushing off just after midday we made our way to Stanthorne Lock. A Canadian Mother stood in the field across the way watching over her offspring as their heads just about bobbed up through the growing crop.

Bridges line up and large Cheshire farms proudly show off their black and white credentials across the fields.

We passed the line of moored boats where the posters in NB Grace’s windows suggest you should slow down, we did.

Soon we arrived at Stanthorne Lock which required filling before we could descend. Blimey it took forever to fill the chamber. Mick came along to help with windlass in hand after the paddles had been lifted.

A family stopped to give their dog a drink and take photos, they wisely decided to stop by the centre of the lock, meaning everyone could keep their distance.

I wound a paddle up on the bottom gate, all of a sudden coming to an abrupt stop!? The paddle wasn’t showing above the metalwork, why wouldn’t it go any further?

A closer look and the reason became obvious. A stop has been added limiting the height to which the paddles can be raised. This is to limit the amount of water coming out of the lock. This was the lock which had had all paddles lifted on it in March 2018. The amount of water overwhelmed the pound below and caused a breach which left a huge hole in the canal at The River Wheelock Aqueduct, leaving a boat teetering on the edge. Maybe the stops have been added in case someone ties to do the same thing again.

The crew from a boat came up to help with the lock, this is quite normal practice and sociable, but I wonder how much of this will happen in our new social distancing boating? The usual comments and questions, ‘Aren’t these paddles hard’, I’d just been remembering the first time we’d come through this lock on a hire boat and what a B***tard the paddles had been then and how easy they are now. ‘How far you heading today?’ The answer came back, ‘We came out from Nantwich on Friday so today we’re heading back’. I nearly followed on with ‘And then heading home?’

With the gates open and paddles wound down there was a touch of deciding where to stand to be able to keep our distance as I did the hurdles over the lock beams.

The short stretch of mooring below the lock at the breach site was full and it didn’t feel right hammering in spikes to where there had been such a huge hole, so we carried on round the first bend where Mick could see armco. We pulled in then had to hunt for the metalwork lying somewhere beneath all the grass, this took quite some doing.

Tilly was out, sussed we were in a built up area and headed straight through the nearest sideways trees. No point in hanging around on the towpath here!

This is the nearest we’ve moored to civilisation for a long time. Plenty of people on the towpaths walking, not going into single file to pass others. Conversations right outside. It turns out we’d missed seeing an extreamly large abnormal load going through Middlewich today. A giant tanker full of medical grade oxygen was taking three days to get across Cheshire from Ellesmere Port to Staffordshire and numerous roads were closed for it.

Have to say we both are a little bit on our toes being moored in Middlewich. We’ve never had any problems here through the years, but the town does have a bit of a reputation and with plenty of bored teenagers in the world right now! Tomorrow we’ll head back out into the countryside.

1 lock, 2.07 miles, 2 aqueducts, 12 pancakes, 1 town cat, 1 jungle mooring, 2nd coat, 1 hour catch up with London, 0.5 tin of tomatoes omitted! 1 last night on the Middlewich Branch.

Metropolis. 1st June

Lockdown Mooring 3, to the shade and back again

Tilly was given an hour this morning before we wanted to move. A few calls after we’d finished breakfast to encourage her home along with starting to wash the fertan off the gunnel worked a treat. I’d only just started and she pounced out of the friendly cover back onto the towpath where she was promptly picked up and passed inside.

We made our way to the shady spot again where the washing continued. The gunnels were already quite hot from the morning sun so dried off very quickly as I put my dungarees on to do the priming. I started at the bow working towards the stern which had absorbed more heat before we’d moved, it had cooled down by the time I reached it. Job done for the day.

Mick had walked up to the mill Shop for some bread, only plastic white frozen variety available, whilst I worked. The water point was busy, two boats filling and more waiting their turn. Today C&RT were aiming to have the network open again, so Continuous Cruisers can start to move around again. This has meant a lot more boats on the move and few of them coming past twice.

NB Islonian once topped up with water came past winded and found themselves a space on the 48 hr mooring, another boat had pulled in behind where we’d been moored, but there was still space for us. After lunch we reversed back to where we’d started the day, tyre fenders out to keep the newly applied primer away from the edge.

The bathroom floor is a nice cool place on a hot day

By mid afternoon more boats had arrived the visitor moorings now full and the straight stretch behind us only showing a few gaps. The boating world is on the move again.

I had intended to do some jobs inside this afternoon, but instead I decided to do a bit of research for a possible project with Dark Horse early next year. #unit21 is set in a world where as you reach the age of 21 you are assessed on your adulting skills. A world of uniformity.

Amy, writer and director had said she’d been influenced by German expressionism and films such as The Cabinet Of Dr Caligari, Metropolis and George Orwells 1984. I’ve seen the first two a very long time ago when at college and surprisingly never 1984.

A free version of Metropolis was on YouTube, so some of the afternoon was spent watching this iconic 1927 silent film. Not a short film by any means, this version had every scene reinstated. Directed by Fritz Lang it portrays a beautiful cultured utopian world above a bleak underworld where the populace are mistreated. A privileged youth, Freder discovers the underworld and falls in love, instantly clutching at his heart, with Maria a rebellious teacher. His father is none too impressed and orders that a machine man (robot) is made in the image of Maria.

The world is so deco, planes turn corners without having to bank and the work force battle hourly to stop the machines below ground from exploding all arriving at work in a trans like state, leaving exhausted after a ten hour shift. Makeup and the acting are as dramatic as you will ever see. The remainder of the film awaits for in between coats of paint or the possible rain forecast from Wednesday.

0 locks, 500 yards, 1 side washed, 1 side primed, 2 many boats, 1 full stretch of moorings, 1 water world on the move again, 445 deaths missed, 10 hours, 1 popped cat.

Loaf Of Bread. 26th May

Lockdown Mooring 5

That maple syrup and spoon of other flour had done the trick to my starter, this morning it had doubled in size and hadn’t sunk back down the jar. It was ready to bake with. I wasn’t prepared. I’d thought it might take until this evening for it to be ready to start a loaf and if I started a loaf now then I would end up baking it tonight at bed time!

I scanned through my recipes and found one that suggested it would rise and be ready to bake between 5 and 7pm. The recipe did have a touch of yeast added to it, but I thought it was well worth it as I didn’t want to waste the progress my starter had made. So a loaf of Chestnut and oat bread it was. My starter was so airy, the airiest it’s ever been. I ran out of white rice flour, so had to add some brown rice flour. Once mixed the sponge was left on the proving shelf for four hours to see what it did. It rose up and showed great promise.

Domed and cracked top even without the yeast

Time to get on with the portraits of the actors who would have been in the production of The Garden. I’ve been putting this painting off for a while, but it proved to be quite pleasurable to work on.

They look a touch like they need a good wash

Skin tone shadows were painted in for everyone and highlights washed back. Then I started to work up one face at a time.

Whilst painting we listened to Anno Domino the new Alan Ayckbourn play. Alan and Heather play all the characters and it is well worth a listen. Back in the 60’s Alan had a stint of being a Radio Drama Producer for the BBC. This showed as we both laughed out loud at images that simply wouldn’t have been as funny on stage. The sound effects (an Ayckbourn hobby) and atmosphere along with the multi track recording worked very well. It must have been great fun for them to make as it is great fun to listen to. Available until the 25th June.

Final ingredients (including some yeast) were mixed into the sponge. Then it was poured into a lined tin and left of the proving shelf for an hour and a half to rise. It gained about a third in height, time to bake it. Mick was requested not to step on and off the boat for a few minutes whilst I transferred the tin into the hot oven. Any knock right now would end with a very flat loaf. Transfer completed Mick could continue to mend one of our tyre fenders that has developed a puncture.

I’d spent all day sat at the dinette table working, so after dinner I headed up the towpath for a walk. I’d spotted a footpath on the offside of the canal which would bring me alongside Oleanna as the sun started to set.

Quite a beautiful evening.

I walked up to Hack Green Locks. The field beside them had the now rotund lambs/teenagers we’d seen back in March. They still played and demanded milk from their Mum’s teets. One old lady just stood and stared at me until I moved away.

I crossed over the bridge between the locks and started to walk back towards Oleanna. This side of Nantwich the fields are all pasture where as to the north they are more arable. Blimey the long grass was hard to walk through and there was no obvious footpath.

A murder of Crows circled the nearby wood, cawing to each other. I found my way into the second field and walked round it’s perimeter trying to find the way ahead. Nettles and brambles stopped my progress. By now I felt like I’d walked through miles of deep snow, my calf and thigh muscles complaining.

I found a narrow bridge across a ditch into another field with more long grass but decided to turn back and head to the bottom lock where a pathway had been worn to the bottom gates. The bywash here was just narrow enough to hop over and I was back on shorter grass.

Tonights sunset was beautiful. A good Shropie sunset is hard to beat. Not having Hurleston Reservoir in the way helped to get the full effect.

0 locks, 2 walked to, 0 miles, 1 frothy starter, 1 loaf, 84th play, 4 portraits finished, 1 Sainsburys order completed, 9 hours, 2 friends consumed at least, 1 tyre mended, 1 stunning sunset.

It works today!

https://goo.gl/maps/9MSEzxGEjpwHCevp7

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna