Category Archives: Wildlife

SORRY!!! 31st August

East Street to Day’s Lock

Cuppa in bed, breakfasted and ready to cruise we waited for our shopping to arrive. The van pulled up at about 10:45, one smaller pack of something and tins instead of easily stored cartons of chopped tomatoes, but we did get our Saturday newspaper which in the past hasn’t been possible.

Once everything was stowed we were on our way, we’ve only a few days left of our Thames licence so no dawdling. At Osney Lock a rowing four considered joining us to go down, some of the crew were keen, others wanted to wait, so they left it up to the Lockie. They didn’t join us.

With a load of washing on we approached Folly Bridge. In the past heading upstream we’ve taken the northern channel, so today Mick went round the southern one instead.

One house on the island has a galvanised or zinc deck with tall plants to match. Then an ornate brick building with niches and what once were white statues, a priest had quite a mound of guano at his feet.

Passing along Christ Church Meadow there was an art class, easels out and paint brushes in hand. One chap was being quite free with his interpretation of the river, with mountainous peaks filling his paper. Passing the rowing clubs we waved farewell to Oxford, we’ll be back mid October.

The sun vanished and big clouds loomed, I used work as an excuse to duck inside between locks. Iffley Lock was surrounded by noisy geese. No space to stop in the next reach for lunch, so at Sandford we waited for the lock to fill up with boats and then rise before we dropped down, no space there either. Lunch on the move it was.

It had started to rain as we approached Abingdon services, we pulled in behind NB Wishbone. Alistair used to follow our Lillyanne blog and then Oleannas whilst he waited for his own boat to be built by Aintree and very nice she looks too. They were having difficulty with the pooh sucky machine so we dealt with everything else before backing up fill with water.

A clean bucket for Mick and myself, a clean box for Tilly and an empty of the yellow water. All rubbish disposed of and a full tank of diesel from a couple of days ago, happy boaters.

As we waited for the water to finish filling a small yogurt pot day boat headed towards the lock, the roof drawn over to keep the occupants dry. One chap outside called instructions to the person at the wheel. ‘Left’ ‘Reverse’ ‘Slow Down’ Biff!! ‘Right’ ‘Stop’ ‘No not that way’ Biff!!! Blimey, it was like watching a dodgem car !! BIFF!!

From inside the voice of a young girl started shouting.

‘SORRY WE HIT YOUR BOAT!’

‘SORRY WE BIFFED YOUR BOAT!’

They hadn’t, they’d just hit theirs!

‘SORRY WE DAMAGED YOUR BOAT!’

‘SORRY WE KILLED YOUR BOAT!’

‘SORRY WE SANK YOUR BOAT!’

They were wanting to go down the lock too, they let us go first.

‘SORRY WE KILLED YOU!’

By now I was in hysterics at the bow, unable to chat to the volunteer who was kindly positioning my rope for me. Looking behind the boat was now facing back towards Oxford, then London, then Oxford again. Eventually they made it into the lock, the Lockies held onto their ropes for them, we both descended.

We were out first leaving them to spin round in the lock. So hope they made it back to Oxford in one piece.

Onwards, plenty more miles to cover today. Four lads in a couple of canoes asked where Culham Lock Cut was, Mick pointed it to them hopping they’d seen it instead of heading straight on towards the weir. A boat was coming up the lock and paused to buy a licence from the Lock Keeper so we waited. A young girl on her bike cycled down to watch what was happening, we got chatting. lots of interesting questions from her. Her 4 year old brother arrived and said they’d been on a huge cruise ship, much bigger than our boat. By the time the lock was ready for us the lads in their canoes had arrived and shared the lock down. It’s the first time we’ve shared a lock with a crocodile!

All these interruptions weren’t helping with my model making, only one more lock, Clifton Lock which we shared with more canoes. All along this stretch the view has changed. Two weeks ago three of Didcot Power Station chimneys stood holding their ground, now they are no more, just rubble.

We pulled in at a suitable spot above Day’s Lock, lots for Tilly to explore in what was left of the day. She did her best to sort her own Ding Ding out, but that friend was rescued before it was too late.

6 locks, 16.47 miles, 4 boxes wine, 1 newspaper, 3 flavours of houmous, 2 cheese twists, 1 right, 1 wave goodbye, 1 empty wee tank, 1 empty box, 1 empty bucket, 1 full water tank, 1 apologetic young lady, 1 very embarrassed dad or uncle, 360 degrees in a lock, 1 chatty gongoozler, 3 canoes, 1 crocodile, 0 cooling towers, 1 favourite mooring.

https://goo.gl/maps/bhQnTMHeZx4wdjpQ7

MOOOO!!!! 26th August

Cow Mooring, Lechlade to Eaton Hastings

MOOOOO!!!

Awake at 6am with a hooligan Mooing at us 2ft away from the window at the foot of our bed. Luckily for us and Oleanna the big post there was more attractive to the cows than anything on the roof or our covers, our herbs and Christmas tree had been moved to the far side of the boat, so they were safe too. We managed to get another hours sleep before the alarm went off.

A quick shop for fresh supplies at Londis. The Cafe across the way had some very nice loaves of sour dough in the window, but as there was no price by them we guessed it would be expensive. We dropped off our shopping and then walked along the meadow down to St John’s Lock.

Thames Path that way, that way and that way

A chap on a cruiser the other day had suggested that we might be able to get diesel at the marina and that they had a chandlery. Before trying to get Oleanna there we’d decided to check which turned out to be just as well. The chap said that diesel would be easier tomorrow and that the bolt Mick was after they wouldn’t have as it had an unusual thread. At least we’d had a walk.

Time to get moving, Lechlade was starting to get busy. The boat behind us was getting ready too. When they’d moored up yesterday the chap at the helm came across as a ~~arse~~ dictator. His two teenagers were ordered what to do, then told off for not doing it correctly, despite not having been given adequate instructions. His poor wife tried to show her son what was needed but then got barked at as she was meant to still be on board in case the boat drifted off. This morning the orders were being barked again, we decided to let them get ahead so we’d not have to share locks with them. A phone call handily delayed us.

We pushed off and headed for Ha’Penny Bridge, from here on the water was filled with canoes, swans and flamingos all with crews who had little awareness of our existence. We managed to avoid them all as we made our way to the footbridge by the Roundhouse.

Two kids were on a paddleboard, then one stepped off and walked across the surface of the water, it would be very shallow there! Here the river was once joined by the Thames and Severn Canal, the furthest we’d be able to get Oleanna up the Thames, we were at the End. Here we hoped would be deep and wide enough for us to turn which fortunately it was as we had a group of on lookers.

Back downstream weaving our way back towards St John’s. We waited for a boat to come up which meant that the dictator had pulled away from the services and was still ahead of us. The Lockie let us down before he’d run away to find some shade for his lunch.

Paddleboarders we’d keep seeing.
PS that is a gongoozler behind Oleanna bearing his belly not Mick

Back along the wiggles and winds to Bascot Lock which was on self service. The paddles were up at the far end and a gate open. I walked down to set the lock for us, some selfish person having left the lock without closing up properly. As I walked over the top gates I noticed that this was not the case. Some 6ft down a couple were holding onto the chains from their canoe, looking up forlornly. The Lockie had waved them in some ten minutes ago, then vanished and they were waiting patiently. Mick and I carefully wound the paddles up for them.

Two cruisers joined us going down and crews from each boat helped to lift paddles and open gates. More wiggles and winds. On one of the hairpin bends a large audience had collected, there being a handy parking space with lots of shade for picnics and a section of low bank to get inflatables into the water. Another steep bend we disturbed a paddleboarder picking blackberries, she was just where the stern of a 58ft boat needed to go, but Mick got us past without spilling any berries.

The sun was hot, we’d have liked some shade, but finding a suitable mooring was unlikely. There was space at Kelmscott, but we carried on to a space I’d marked on my map as a possible wild mooring. We got in and moored up. The back doors opened for Tilly, who very quickly decided it was far too hot and returned inside to the shade. I opened up the shady side curtains to see a wasps nest on the bank, Tilly must have known. Window closed we unpinned ourselves and moved on, not far to the next bit of bank.

Rules were read and I was allowed out. This outside was just as hot as the last one which I had rejected, but they insisted on this one. I had a smooch around, okay friendly cover, the trees were a bit too far away, it would do.

I told her, I told her that if she was to pounce off the gunnel then there wouldn’t be anything to land on. Did she listen? It fell on deaf soon to be wet ears!

Pounce, Splash, Scurry. Into the bathroom after she’d managed to soak every seat on the boat. A towel rub down, always a risk, and then an hour of drying herself off sat on the hearth rug. Cat Health and Safety rules should be listened too and adhered by! I’ve seen lots of woofers doing it and it was really quite cooling, just a bit of a shock.

2 locks, 1 a tight squeeze, 4.41 miles, 225grams sad gits mince, 2 pork chops, 1 loaf bread, 2 pints milk, 0 bolt, 0 diesel, 1 boat unhooliganised, 1 nest, 2nd mooring lucky, 2 many small craft on the river, 1 soaked cat for the second time this month! 1 lucky friend, 2 hot.

https://goo.gl/maps/nGfyd7us8t6vwmbe8

Down The Wey. 1st August

Dapdune Wharf to Papercourt Meadows

Earth, Wind, Fire and Water were the order of the day at Dapdune and young visitors arrived early for a day of fun. Around the site you could paddleboard, make mud pies, learn how to make a fire or partake in lots of fun activities all around the place. We opted to just look round the buildings we’d not seen yesterday.

The barge building shed has a great photo at one end of the structure that makes up a Wey Barge and the walls are decorated with Carpenters Porn. Planes of every size and use, drills and one of the biggest vices I’ve seen.

The paintwork was almost alive on the doors

Next the Gunpowder Store that last night was filled with paddle boards. Here we learnt that transporting gunpowder by water was the safest means and it continued until the 1920’s. The kegs of powder would be stored in this room until they set off for London. The paint on the doors was all bubbled and blistered, as though numerous fires had taken place in the room.

The main display was about ropes, knots and pulleys. Here you could spend hours learning how to tie all manner of knots and then forget them for when they are most needed.

Reliance was open to have a look around. The boarded over hold very low, necessitated bending over to reach the cabin at the stern. Here the cabin was laid out with a table set up flipped out from the cupboards, dishes on the long stove ready to cook a meal on. Panels which looked like doors made up the seat backs, these would hinge down and make up beds for the crew, far more space than on a narrowboat.

A wander around the island and a chance to taste our first Blackberries of the year, mine despite being picked easily was still face shrivellingly sour. Everywhere you looked there were games laid out. An orienteering course, archery and loads more and the site was filled with kids.

Mick had topped up the water before the Wharf had opened this morning so we were now good to go. Not far until we pulled in, a nearby B&Q called us on the hunt for a longer plank. They had none. but a nearby Argos provided Mick with a cheap tablet which he’s hoping to run Waterway Routes on at the stern as we cruise, replacing one that died a few months ago.

Approaching Stoke Lock we could see people milling about. The gates were open, but they proceeded to close them. A stripey person looked at us, turned away from the gate then did a Frank Matthews double take at us , then continued to walk down to the bottom gates. We could see that the lock was being emptied, Oh well! Good job we weren’t in a rush.

We pulled in and I walked down, normally I’d offer a helping hand, but everything was being taken care of, so instead I said Good morning to see what was said back. Nothing other than a ‘morning’. I took the opportunity to walk over the footbridge and take a photo of the lock cottage with the hire boat in front of it.

Plenty of crew taking it in turns to do things, one at a time

The lock emptied, the gates opened and they took their time. A jumper needed rearranging around someones middle then the boat was tied to tightly so couldn’t be undone. With at least five crew everything took time, a lot of it. I suggested that maybe we should have some lunch whilst we waited, there’d almost have been enough time.

Eventually they made their way up and the lock was now ours. I was just about to close a gate when I saw a boat following us, so we waited to be joined, a nice couple on a Sea Otter (a small aluminium narrowboat). We had a short pause for lunch before carrying on to Bowers Lock. Ahead we could see a boat had just entered the lock to go down, we tooted our horn, someone looked but the gates still closed. We tooted again, another look, maybe they didn’t know that they could share locks on this stretch. Oh well we’d be doing this one on our own too.

At the moment there is work being done on the weir, there’s lots of noise. Due to this the lock landing is a temporary pontoon quite a distance away, so by the time I reached the lock they were halfway down. I asked how much further they planned on going today, they weren’t sure. One chap stayed and helped me close the very low bottom gates which was the bit I’d not been looking forward to as my back has just about sorted itself from when we came up this lock.

We passed them a while later, they’d almost pulled in at a mooring we’d tried to get into on our way up, glasses of wine were already being consumed, it was the last night of their holiday. We offered to share the next lock, but they must have settled for the evening.

Triggs Lock has way more than it’s fare share of paddles on the bottom gates, three each. The top gates can be chained back and then the lock used as a sluice/weir when the river is in flood. I only got to wind the outer set of paddles today. Winding them back down could be done from land, but anyone a touch shorter than me would have difficulty in reaching with a long handled windlass.

By the pub two cruisers were mooring up. The full length of mooring and they chose to take the easy option of tying to a bollard each, leaving only enough space for one narrowboat and two big git gaps! Good job we didn’t want to stop.

Papercourt Lock wasn’t quite so picturesque today the blue sky hiding by now behind clouds. From here I could see that there was only one boat moored up on the meadows below, so there should be somewhere for us to pull up too.

Standing at the bow keeping a watch out we tried one spot. No hard or straight edge here, would it be deep enough for us? The bow came in well, we pulled forward so that Mick didn’t have to jump off into nettles. Goose pooh hop scotch was needed as we tied up, we were on a slight list but this would do nicely. Tilly on the other hand wasn’t too sure, most probably due to the lack of trees.

During the evening we’ve watched reports of the Toddbrook Reservoir that feeds the Peak Forest at Whaley Bridge. I so hope the spillway can be made safe to allow people to go home, the repair will take some time. Boaters have been told to take ‘every precaution’. I think we’d try to get as far away as possible, past Marple towards Poynton in a different valley.

4 locks, 7.23 miles, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish, 1 clean pooh box, 1 lock stolen, 1 shared, 6 pairs of deaf ears, 2 very low lock beams, 6 paddles, 1 snake, 1 meadow mooring, 19.75 digits and 4 paws crossed for Whaley Bridge.

https://goo.gl/maps/Md1gKSEmXJbpEND18

Southern Woofers Have NO Manners! 20th July

Pyrford Basin to Send Church Footbridge

Rain hit Oleanna’s roof for much of last night, but by first thing this morning it had dried up. Mick headed off on a bike to find a Waitrose for a free newspaper, along with £10 of shopping. He was fortunate as when he returned we had a couple of major down pours, the sort that would soak you to the skin despite waterproofs.

10% chance of rain! Well we’d got that 10% and we weren’t going to set off whilst it was at it’s worst. By midday the sun was trying to make an appearance so we made ready to push off. A boat appeared from behind, we had a locking partner.

The Anchor Pub was already attracting customers and would be a handy place for a delivery should we need one on the way back. The crew of NB Montana were setting the lock when I reached them after dropping off some rubbish.

I’d set the bow rope on the port side roof, but as the boats came into the lock we ended up on the starboard side, I’d be needing a boat hook to get the rope. The hook we were left with at little Venice is nice and light weight with an aluminium pole so easy to handle.

We tied up as we’d done yesterday using the yellow post at the stern. NB Montana tied up using all three ropes, but not one of them round the yellow post. There was a lot of rushing around trying to stop their boat from surging forward and backwards, the centre line getting tighter and tighter whilst Oleanna just rose up the lock gracefully. I mentioned to the lady about the yellow post, she wasn’t aware if they’d been told about it at Thames Lock.

Time to turn the engines back on, not a rumble from NB Montana! He tried again and again, still no joy. We said we’d wait for them at the next lock, for a while anyway and left them to bow haul out of the lock making way for a boat to go down.

The next stretch was narrow and slow going. We think it was both the depth but also the current as we were heading upstream. A quick look at a map showed us that RHS Wisley isn’t too far away and to keep an eye open for an Elizabethan Summer House. There it was nestled in amongst the trees.

The lock cottage at Walsham Flood Gates watched our progress, Mick was impressed by the telephone bells by the front door.

Now we were back on the river, wider and deeper. The moorings by the lock looked like they’d be fun to reverse out off and not get drawn towards the weir!

A boat was just coming out of Newark Lock leaving it all ready for us. How long should we wait? We decided on ten minutes or until a boat came the other way. The sun was now out, layers could be removed as we waited. After eight minutes a boat appeared above the lock, oh well we’d have to ascend as we were in the way.

A lady came to help and we left her with a message for NB Montana that we’d wait at the next lock, they’re on a mission to reach Guildford today for dinner.

This looks a good place for the way back

I’d seen that NB Huffler had moored at Papercourt Meadows a few days ago, this had to be those meadows. Wide grassy, perfect place for a barbecue, maybe on our way back. We noted a couple of places that looked deep enough to moor as boats were already tied up.

I hopped off just before we reached the bywash from the weir and walked up to the lock, pausing to take photos. What a picturesque scene in the sunshine with the cottage and stepped weir, chocolate box.

A family of Egyptian Geese were preening themselves by the top gates which kept me occupied as we waited. NB Montana could be seen making her way through the meadows, as they got closer I spotted a second boat hot on their tail. Should we go up on our own or wait. We waited saving them an extra ten minutes emptying the lock.

This time they used the yellow post and both boats sat calmly as they rose, affording everyone chance to have a chat. Paddles were wound in unison. They’d had a chap this morning lift a paddle straight up which had sent the plume of water straight into their bow and inside the cabin. She got him to quickly close the paddle and avoid them sinking, they still had a wet floor that needed mopping up. Have to say we never go up hill with our cabin doors open just for this reason.

We led the way for the next two miles. Pretty rural turned into offices/factory at the cut side. Another flood gate at Worsfold where the National Trust work yard is. Nicholsons mentions a turf sided lock here, but we didn’t spot it, we’ll have a better look on the way back.

The river now winds and twists towards the next pretty lock, Triggs Lock with another fine cottage. The bottom gates when open lean over the channel so, as on other gates, there are chains and a bar to help you pull them towards you from a safe distance. This was to be our last lock of the day, so we waved NB Montana goodbye and hoped they had a lovely evening.

Through the next bridge was a trimmed stretch of towpath, we arrive just as a group of canoeists did, they loitered exactly where we wanted to pull in but they got the message in the end. The wind had been doing it’s best to aid us in mooring when the canoes had been in the way, but now had disappeared. Oleanna just wouldn’t go into the side, Mick hopped off but no matter how he pulled on the centre line she just wasn’t having any of it. A blast of reverse to get her back close enough for Mick to jump back on and we headed off to try the next place.

This was also too shallow, a shame as there would have been a great view of Send church from our bedroom in the morning. The next trimmed length we were determined to moor in. The bow came in close enough to hop off, but the stern wouldn’t. Any further along the river and we’d be too close to roads for Tilly, so here it was to be. Spikes banged in and plank deployed, the first time since the Lancaster. This reminded us that we really need to get a longer one very soon!

Excuse me!!! Just what were they thinking? This outside had water everywhere! How was I meant to be able to get to it? Tom showed me this sloping thing, it smelt like ours but really! No thank you!! A thin slice of tree is no good for anyone!

However the trees here were good. Good for climbing. I soon discovered that I could jump the gap over the water and onto the roof when a rude woofer came to see me. It didn’t stay long when I showed it what I was made of.

I really wasn’t sure about this outside, so She came out to go for a walk with me. I like this, both of us discovering new things, mostly trees and friends for me. Today however we discovered that most Southern Woofers are very rude!

One came running from quite a distance, so I decided to head up a tree. Here I had to cling on whilst it shouted at me for ages. It’s Tom just smiled and walked by calling it’s stupid name. In the end She had to risk her life and stand in between us as the woofer just wasn’t going to leave. Have to say I was glad when it did my claws were starting to ache!

I discovered that I could jump onto the side hatch with relative ease which came in handy later on when the stupid Tom came back with his exceptionally rude woofer. Doors were closed very quickly on the boat locking it out. Why was the Tom stupid? He had a lead and knew I was there so why hadn’t he used it?! Stupid and selfish, if I’d been a little kid running away I bet he’d have apologised. Maybe he is scared of his woofer and can’t keep hold of it or is even afraid that it might bite him. Anyway my Tom was so not impressed! I now HATE woofers!

Last night I’d prepared a sponge for a loaf of Sour Dough, this had been getting frothier all day. So once we’d moored up I mixed in the other ingredients and added some yeast so that we wouldn’t have to wait until midnight to bake it. It rose nicely over a couple of hours. Then as I popped it in the over I happened to give the tin a slight knock against the grill pan. My recipe warns against this as with no gluten the loaf can collapse, all those hours of rising gone immediately to waste.

The loaf looked okay as it went in the oven, but when I turned the temperature down I had a look. It had sunk by about a quarter, a big dip in the middle! I toyed with abandoning it there and then, not wasting gas. But baked it in the end, we’ll see how it turns out for toast tomorrow.

4 locks, 2 flood gates, 5.19 miles, 1 summer house, 1 broken boat, 1 meadow mooring noted, 3 shallow moorings also noted, 0 outside close enough, 2 rude woofers, 3 woofer incidents, 1 freaked out cat, 1 totally selfish dog owner, 1 sunken loaf, 1 migraine brewing, 1 property game put off till tomorrow.

https://goo.gl/maps/WR2SmvBriVkRYdfYA

Red Coats And Wings. 21st June

Grand Junction Arms

A couple of days ago we had a visitor to Oleanna. I could hear this tapping rustling noise and at first couldn’t work out what it was. Looking round I spotted what I thought was a butterfly on the floor. It was spinning round and seemed unable to fly. I got a glass and postcard and carefully picked it up.

On closer inspection I thought it couldn’t be a butterfly. It’s wings were bright despite them being folded up, they also seemed to be crumpled, not smooth like a butterfly. I carefully popped it outside on the grass away from our feline second mate, who wouldn’t have stopped to admire it’s beauty, before chomping away at it.

Today I’ve finally got round to looking it up. It turns out to be a Scarlet Tiger Moth. I’ve never seen one before, maybe because they tend to live further south than where I’ve spent much of my life. They are so pretty, I’ll be keeping an eye open for them in future.

After our day climbing up Marsworth with the Mikron team we had to show willing and go to see the show tonight. We were moored backstage anyway. So we spruced ourselves up and headed over. The stage was set up with it’s back to the towpath a natural bank opposite for the audience. On the Mikron website you get information about each venue. Most are outside and these tend to suggest bringing a chair and blanket as the outdoor heating tends not to be so good!

The white just to the right of the telegraph pole is the set.

On previous occasions we’ve not needed our chairs, last Sunday there were plenty to go round. Today we did, so it was a good job the boat was so close. A crowd had already gathered and eagerly awaited the show. Sunday we’d had tea and cake, this evening it was a large glass of wine.

Red Coats, by Nick Ahad is the story of Butlins. Aunty Lynn (a Red Coat) normally does a one woman show about the history of Butlins, but her last show after 50 years has been re-written and she will be joined by a vlogger, a techie and another Red Coat. She’s none too pleased at the prospect. We learnt how Butlins was first set up by Billy Butlin where anyone could have a weeks holiday for a weeks pay.

This is a very different show to ‘All Hands On Deck’. A story within a story with very amusing scenes and songs. Quite silly in parts, we especially liked the swimming pool and the beauty contest scenes. Well worth seeing even if we were both wishing we’d taken more layers with us. the actors however didn’t get chance to get chilly as they were working very hard. No interval and a cuppa for them, they are on duty all the time.

The tour now takes them down the Grand Union through Berkhampsted, Hemel Hempstead, Greenford, then to the Thames, up the Oxford Canal, Grand Union to Lapworth, down Tardebigge to Worcester, Stourport, up the Shroppie, ending their boat tour at The Anchor in High Offley on the 1st September. They are then back in the van and touring the north of the country. Marianne did say that they’d love to have a second boat to be able to tour the northern canals by boat too. But for now the van will have to do.

Down Hill To Yorkshire. 8th January

Morton’s Bridge 56 to Ross Bridge 74

At last we woke at a suitable time, and before the alarm clock went off!

Pushing off just before 10am we made our way to the top of Foxton just passing NB Isolnian, The Coffee Boat before they pushed off themselves. Both boats wanted water and the two taps obliged. The lady from NB Isolnian walked down to find the lock keeper to book us both in, there was a 70ft boat on it’s way up so there would be a bit of a wait, so there was no rush to fill our tanks.

A cheeky robin looking for crumbs hopped aboard Oleanna. He sat on the tiller, then the pram hood, then made sure that we’d noticed him by sitting on the rope Mick had just untied to move us up! Sadly by the time we’d found a fat ball he’d been scared off by a big group of walkers. As the top lock filled for the boat coming up a crow decided that he’d have a try for some tasty morsels, he had no luck either.

Once the top lock was clear it was our turn to head down. Another boat was starting to ascend in the bottom staircase, but as we were being followed down they would have to pull over between the staircases for both boats to pass. The sun was shining, what a day to do the flight!

Three volunteers were on duty and glad that there was a busy spell, yesterday there’d only been one boat, the rest of the time was spent drinking tea and re-reading the newspaper. Despite it being a cold January day there were still quite a few gongoozlers. A foreign couple who’d never seen a lock working before never mind a narrowboat, they asked lots of questions, all intelligent. Not once did they ask if it was cold, but they did wonder how we got our shopping.

My favourite gongoozlers were a Grandfather and Granddaughter who stood and watched us for quite sometime. He looked like he was explaining how they worked, all the time with a five year olds glinting look of excitement in his eye . As the water levels equalised I could hear a quiet argument going on between them. He was so obviously chomping at the bit to open a gate and she was saying he couldn’t just do it. She was getting a touch irate with him, ‘You can’t just do it without asking!!!’ So I asked him if he’d like to help, that gate was opened immediately, just a shame that he didn’t stay to close it again!

We reached the bottom chamber of the top staircase before the one coming up had got into the top chamber of their staircase. So I had to wait for them before I could lift my paddle. At Foxton and Watford staircases you always lift the red paddle before the white one, this fills the bottom chamber to the same level as the side pound. When the white paddle is lifted this empties the top chamber into the side pound. When both chambers and the side pound are all level then the gates will open between the chambers. So when you reach the pound between the two staircases (where it is possible to pass another boat) the red paddle is situated at the top of the bottom staircase and the white one at the bottom of the top staircase. If you are doing the flight on your own you have to walk round to do one before walking back to do the other, but as a boat was coming up I just had to wait for them to start filling their lock before emptying mine.

Once everything was level they came out from their lock and pulled into the side. Here they would sit whilst we went past followed by NB Isolnian, then they would be free to carry on up.

At the bottom lock a chap with a windlass in his hand said to leave the gates open as a boat was waiting to come up. I suspect he was with another boat, second in line and was just being helpful. However I insisted that we closed the gates as otherwise someone would have to do some reversing to let Isolnian out of the flight.

At Bridge 61 many people were enjoying the sunshine as we turned left under Rainbow Bridge and towards Leicester.

Today we started our descent to Yorkshire. It’s almost downhill all the way, Keadby Lock being the exception as we’ll be going up there from the Tidal Trent onto the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. This level fluctuates with the tide, but from the top of Foxton we’ll have descended 125m to be at sea level. From Keadby the border into South Yorkshire is between Maud’s Swing Bridge and Medge Hall Swing Bridge which is just over 6 miles west, almost 128 miles away from the top of the staircase locks. At least today we managed to tick off 10 of the 65 locks of the journey.

The countryside looked beautiful today, the greens so lush and the sky bright bright blue. The Riverknits boat was moored with a great view across rolling hills, but Becci wasn’t in to say hello to, just as well as I’d have been tempted to buy some of her yarn. We pootled on meandering our way around the SSSI. It’s the first time we’ve been this way in winter and the views that the hedges normally hide are wonderful.

Saddington Tunnel was clear all the way through a lot of cutting back has happened here, we only just managed to squeeze through when we headed south the year before last. Despite having worked up a sweat doing the locks in all my layers we were now getting cold, the thought of the warmth indoors was appealing so we pulled up and had a late lunch, letting Tilly enjoy the sunny afternoon outside for a couple of hours.

10 locks, 2 staircases of 5, 6.08 miles, 1 left, 1 topped up water tank, 1 cheeky robin, 1 bold crow, 3 volunteers, 1 eyed 1 legged lock keeper, 0 chilled medication available today, 1 tunnel, 0 bats, 123 miles 55 locks and 125m to Yorkshire.

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Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna