STOP! or Double Chocolate Chilled Medication. 2nd August

Booths Swing Bridge to Bingley Five Rise

For some reason we’d stocked up on eggs even though we had plenty already. With the use by date just passed it was time we used some. Time for a cooked breakfast. Mick had a master class in making hash browns and we managed to get our pandemic stock pile of bacon down to the half way mark. Very tasty. Tilly also liked it as it meant she had a couple of hours still exploring. I bobbed back in for a quick snack still with another four holes to inspect and what did Tom do? Closed the blinking doors!!

Ahead of us lay more swing bridges, our aim to reach Bingley today.

Leache’s Swing Bridge was first the last of the manual bridges. Some chaps walking their dogs said that nobody could close the bridge properly and that it clatters all day. With this local information I expected to have difficulty swinging it back so that the latch engaged, so I kept the momentum going, only for it to clatter closed with ease. I wonder if the chap was referring to the bridge just clanking as people walked over it, nothing much anyone can do about that!

A sign regarding social distancing lay on the ground broken in half. The towpath was busy but thankfully wide enough for everyone to keep their space. I decided to walk from here.

From here on the bridges are automated requiring the key of power and a good strong index finger. At Bar Lane Swing Bridge we held up 3 cars, a couple had turned round when they saw the stop sign.

Graby Lane Swing bridge was busier, holding up 8.

I walked on from here, just after Swine Bridge Lane Bridge two cottages are for sale. Sadly I can’t find any details on them on line, but they looked compact and characterful.

Morton Swing Bridge is a busy one, I achieved 10 delays to the local traffic, my index finger starting to ache a touch by now.

Here’s hoping there’s space at the top of the locks to moor as it’s a long way to reverse

On past the last place to moor before reaching the top of the Bingley Five Rise and round the bend to Micklethwaite Swing Bridge. Someone was already at the panel, the barriers to oncoming traffic closed, so my services wouldn’t be required. However!

The barriers may have been closed but the control panel had lost all of it’s lights. I asked the obvious questions that I knew Mick would also ask as soon as he’d tied Oleanna up. One barrier was locked in, the other you could move. This bridge is renowned to have problems, when we last came through it was being worked on. Extra pieces have been added to the barrier locks presumably to make sure they stay in place.

Please Drive carefully if you can cross the bridge

Mick had a go with the barriers too, this meant the one we could move then got stuck in the open position. A phone call had already been made to C&RT and we’d been told someone would be with us in half an hour, not bad for a Sunday. Cars arrived and as soon as you walked up to them they knew what you were going to say. They all turned round as soon as a half hour wait was muted.

But within about ten minutes a blue van arrived. The chap checked the panel, then crossed the bridge to open up the big box with all the workings inside. He did something and the barriers were released. They were opened then closed, then the buttons wouldn’t work. Time for him to operate it from the big box, we were told to get our boats ready, by now there were three of us waiting to go through.

The remote buttons worked thankfully, two boats came towards us and then we finally headed through, able to continue on our way towards Bingley. We paused at the water point by the ABC swing bridge to top up the tank before carrying on to see if we could find a space above the five rise for the night.

Several boats faced away from the locks, only one towards. There was space for a couple more boats so we pulled in, sitting a little bit out from the bank but we’d expected that.

Mick wanted to go and have a look at the five rise and see if any boats were heading up that we could watch. There were plenty of people about enjoying the sunshine.

At the locks hazard tape stopped anyone from walking up to them, in fact you could only stand on the swing bridge above or walk down the footpath alongside, not very good for gongoozling. Mick sulked!

Our timing meant that boats might be heading up the three rise so we walked down the footpath to have a look. Ahead blue t-shirts and life jackets could be seen and sure enough a boat was just rising up in the last chamber of the three rise. This was WB Little Duke a bearBoating hire boat.

Fortunately the view up the locks from the bottom is THE view of the five rise, so I managed to get a few photos of Little Duke entering the bottom, all the crew onboard and the Lockies working them up. Would it be the case that we wouldn’t be allowed to assist on the locks tomorrow?

Whilst we waited for the Lock Keepers to reach the top of the hill we decided it was time to partake in some chilled medication from the cafe. Double Chocolate Heaven was our choice and very tasty it was too. I think this is actually our first chilled medication of the year!

We checked in with Clare the Lock Keeper for the morning and returned to Oleanna. We had a new neighbour NB Tobias who were also planning on descending the locks in the morning. Tilly was let loose and she headed straight across the towpath for the big field, not to be seen for a couple of hours, returning just in time for dingding. I had a catch up with my brother and a plan has been hatched for us hopefully to meet up this month before my nephew Josh returns to school.

0 locks, 6 swing bridges, 1 left open, 1 stubborn one, 25 cars held up, 14 turned round, 2 outsides, 1 widebeam, 1 Lock Keeper, 2 volunteers, 1 cone, 1 tub, 27 crackers, 1 roast chicken, 1 plan coming together, 1 possible knitting commission, 1 hotel boat.

https://goo.gl/maps/pRGH3TgFQAFWXz62A

Eleventh Hole. 1st August

Lanehouse Swing Bridge 189 to Booths Swing Bridge 195

Tilly was allowed out whilst we had breakfast and then we settled down for the weekly Geraghty Zoom. Todays topics bacon and egg sandwiches, play dates, Tillys climbing trees (one with bruises aged 5, the other an expert at the age of 4.75), thieving foxes and growing pineapples. Good to see everyone as ever and today we didn’t have to curtail the zoom due to rain.

Tilly came home soon after we’d finished chatting to everyone so we could move on. Just as we untied NB Elvira came past, Mrs Elvira walking the towpath said they’d hold the next swing bridge for us. We pushed out and followed, the first two bridges were open.

The third, Cowling Swing Bridge crossed us over into Bradford where the new lockdown measures were implemented yesterday. We thanked Mrs Elvira and leapfrogged them as we headed on towards Silsden.

New houses have been built along the canal since we were here last, we’d watched a chimney being flown onto the old mill which has been sandblasted on most sides other than that facing the canal. We just managed to pick out an original house on the towpath side which has also had a good clean up, the stone older and more detail to the roof line and chimneys than the new builds that surround it.

Silsden Hire base was full of boats, 3 narrowboats and 2 widebeams being cleaned and made ready for new guests to enjoy a weekend or week afloat. We carried on a short distance further to a stretch of armco before tying up just as it started to rain. Mick headed off with a brolly and mask to get our weekly newspaper and a loaf of bread from the Co-op.

Lunch and then onwards back out into the countryside to find a spot to moor. The gardens along the cut are so well presented in normal times and I suspect they’ve had extra attention during lockdown.

Brunthwaite Swing Bridge came into view. We have history me and this bridge and today it wasn’t going to be any different. A cyclist was taking a rest and offered to lend a hand as did a walker who crossed the bridge and pushed from the towpath side too. With three of us pushing we got the b**strd moving but not open to it’s furthest extent. The wind had caught Oleanna and pushed her right over to the off side of the cut, so Mick fought a battle, back and forth to get a better angle to approach the opening. This took sometime and sadly the cabin side of Oleanna had a tussle with a branch.

Running away before anyone else needs assistance

Getting the bridge back to where it had come from was also a work out in itself. The cyclist had stayed to help, he normally cyles to Skipton but just helping with the bridge had made up for stopping short. Once the bridge was locked up (a very short chain made this frustratingly hard) the cyclist made a quick move off avoiding having to help anyone else!

Then Holden Swing Bridge had aspirations to follow the example of Brunthwaite! A couple had stopped for a rest there also, so the chap was enlisted to assist. luckily the bridge has someway to go to match the stiffness of the one before it.

Now we hoped to moor near to the farm before the cow bridge (Lodge Hill Bridge). I remembered coming the other way that depth had been an issue for quite a distance, but we’d succeeded after several attempts to pull in. So I suggested we should try sooner rather than later. Without being able to see where we’d succeeded last time on my phone we’d already passed it so were doomed to fail.

Try and try again, two foot out was the best we could manage. So we gave up and carried onwards hoping to find enough depth further on before arriving at Bingley.

Now into the thick of Low Wood we made the same mental note as we always do, ‘we must come through here when the rhododendrons are in flower’! One day we’ll manage it.

Booths Swing Bridge opened nicely, but then the handcuff to lock it would not line up. How? It had been locked when we arrived. Try and try again, no chance.

Mick managed to pull Oleanna in just a short distance on, spikes came out and we could settle for the remainder of the day. He walked back to see if he had any more luck with the lock at the bridge, but didn’t succeed either.

Second outside of the day. Well what was there to find? Who was there to find? I had a good look round on the towpath, She came with me for a bit and ended up picking me up as a woofer walked past me. She didn’t appreciate my hissing and spitting at the woofer, neither did the woofers owner! Apparently I’m not meant to bully woofers!!

I found a route down the wall to where the grass was short. Here Toms wheeled bags around and hit balls until they fell into holes. I had to check out what was down there with my arm, nothing much a little damp if anything.

I managed to check out a few more holes before heading back inside for a snack. She closed the doors! But hang on I’d only inspected eleven holes and I believe there are eighteen!

0 locks, 3.53 miles, 6 swing bridges, 2 left open, 2 obstinate ones, 6 zoomers, 1 newspaper, 3 handy cyclists, 1 stuck hire boat, 1st bearBoat, 2 shallow, 11 out of 18.

https://goo.gl/maps/qWku42saKWcG66A86

Hands, Face, Space. 31st July

Bradley Swing Bridge to Lanehouse Swing Bridge 189

Strange dreams for both of us last night, until I realised that the smoke/CO detector above our heads was beeping, announcing it required a new battery. Mick removed the detector from the ceiling and popped the battery out, deciding it could wait for morning.

Next thing we knew was boats going past at just gone 7am, two heading back to base at Silsden the other a private boat heading towards Skipton. Our mooring had some shade but it was busy with passing boats. Most of the day boats from Skipton came past us yesterday and winded a little bit ahead of us before returning. Maybe we’d be better off elsewhere to sit out the heat of the day.

After our cuppa in bed we rolled back the covers and pushed off, leaving Bradley Mill (an old spinning and weaving mill) behind us. Breakfast could wait until we were moored up again, hopefully in a larger area of shade away from the busy road.

Just around the bend was our first swing bridge of the day, Hamblethorpe. Easy to move and enough time to have a look at the memorial to seven Polish Airmen who died when their plane crashed near Skipton in 1943.

A fine wooded stretch follows, perfect for shade on a hot day but very close to the busy road below, we continued.

The next swing bridge is Milking Hall sat at the edge of the wood, a path leads up the hill away from the canal with a mossy sign pointing the way. I like this bridge, if it was snowy it could almost be in Narnia. One thing I did remember about it was how the landing has an overhang, this caught us out when passing through last time on Lillian, crunching off a chunk of paint on the top of a gunnel. Mick kept well away as I opened up the bridge, a hire boat with a 60th birthday party came round the bend so I let them through before walking on to the next bridge.

Redman Swing Bridge links the towpath to footpaths in Kildwick, a village that clings to the hillside, the road to the valley dipping under the canal. Mick now had to go very slowly indeed as I needed to get up ahead to take a photo I’ve been wanting to take for four years.

Four years ago as we passed through Kildwick I’d paused after letting Lillian (our old yellow boat) through Warehouse Swing Bridge to take a photo. At the time we were heading over the Pennines to spend that winter up on the Macclesfield, where we hoped Oleanna would get launched. The photo I took of the stern of Lillian passing through bridge 186 became the photo to keep of her, as if we were saying goodbye.

Since then I’ve been wanting to take the same photo but with Oleanna coming towards the camera, saying hello. It’s taken us four years to get back here, but today we finally managed it.

I couldn’t quite remember where I’d stood last time, so stood on the bridge to take the photo. This was maybe just as well, being at a slightly different angle otherwise the moored boats would have blocked the view of Oleanna. It is close enough for my liking, different seasons and a very blue boat, but the post box is still in view. Our four year mission now complete.

We now hoped to find shade and stop for the day. The first possible mooring didn’t have much in the way of trees, then the depth wasn’t sufficient. On through Grange Swing Bridge where a new stretch of pilling is being put in.

Is this Tumbelweed No 5 who used to write a blog?

Then we could see shade up ahead and a view to the off side. This would do us for the day. The back doors were opened, along with the front, hoping for a breeze. Tilly was given eight hours and we settled down to have breakfast at 10:30.

A text prompted Mick to turn on BBC1. Here was Mr Johnson confirming what had been mentioned on the news last night regarding local lockdown measures across the North West and West Yorkshire. Better to stand in front of the cameras rather than announce the new measures by tweet!

Our route ahead remains open, but no meeting friends or family other than on park benches until we reach Leeds! The next stage of lockdown relaxation has been put on hold for at least another two weeks. So the doors of any theatres that were about to reopen for socially distanced performances remain firmly closed for the time being.

The new three word slogan for the pandemic way of life was mentioned at the press conference. So we decided we’d have a look at where Mr Johnson was suggesting we should head using what3words

To reach our new destination, we would have to head back west over the Leeds Liverpool Canal to Wigan.

From here we’d have a choice, either all the way to Liverpool docks, out across the Mersey, round Liverpool Bay heading west, across the River Dee then follow the coast line westwards to LLandudno and the Irish Sea.

Or at Burscough turn onto the Rufford Branch, out onto the River Douglas, turning left onto the River Ribble continuing out to the Irish Sea to turn southwards to follow the coast to Llandudno.

Or into Manchester on the Bridgewater Canal, drop down Pomona Lock onto the River Irwell followed by the Manchester Ship Canal, joining the River Mersey at Eastham Locks.

Or the Bridgewater Canal to Preston Brook, down the Trent and Mersey to Anderton, down the boat lift onto the River Weaver, head westwards to Weston Marsh Lock where we’d drop down onto the Manchester Ship Canal.

Or the Bridgewater Canal to Preston Brook, down the Trent and Mersey to Middlewich, across the Middlewich Branch, turn northwards on the Shroppie to either Chester, dropping onto the River Dee (this route may not be possible due to the lock onto the Dee) or continuing to Ellesmere Port to join the Manchester Ship Canal.

Or at Barbridge Junction on the Middlewich Branch turn south onto the Shropie, onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal to Stourport, River Severn to Gloucester, Gloucester and Sharpness to Sharpness, then onto the River Severn again continue on past Portishead hugging the south coast of Wales, then head northwards until reaching the Irish Sea, up the Menai Straight and eventually Llandudno. But this route would just be silly!

Maybe we’ll not bother and carry on with our original plan, Norway. 😉

A very warm day followed, we were glad we’d found some quality shade. I headed out for a walk to stretch my legs. I headed along the canal passing two open swing bridges. Down a very rubbley footpath towards the River Aire.

From here I had to play cow pat hopscotch, then cross a field of sheep, the now fully grown lambs still wanting to suckle from their Mum, two of them so forceful they actually lifted her off the ground. Then back up onto the towpath, shortly before a cooling breeze and rumbles of thunder came past.

0 locks, 2.79 miles, 5 swing bridges, 4 years for a photo, 1 lorry, 1 tractor, Tumbleweed 5, 29.7 degrees, 1 hot day, 8 hours, 1 hot tired cat, 1 boat still heading eastwards, 0 roast tonight, 1 salad, 1 Mrs Tilly Stamp of Approval, 1 theatre designer in need of a job!

https://goo.gl/maps/kCvG49YCJSrRm8SS7

Keighley For Lunch. 30th July

Brewery Lane Swing Bridge to Bradley Swing Bridge 182A

Thank you to Anne, Jo, Debby, Christine and not forgetting Duncan (of course!) for the help in identifying our shrubs at the house. Maybe we should harvest some of the St John’s Wort and feed it to the seagulls so they sleep through the night.

Another Hypericum, Inodorum Elstead or Androsaemum

Anyhow, we woke to rain, so no need to rush anywhere. We took our time getting up and put a load of washing on. By the time breakfast was eaten and put away the weather was improving so we got ready to push off.

Photo of Oleanna as we pulled up at the bottom of the garden yesterday, cutesy of Robert

Which water point to use? Well the one just before the next bridge had just had a boat pull onto it, so we chanced a tap being free round the bend by the bus station, we were wanting to get rid of rubbish too. We waved goodbye to Margie and Robert even though they had most probably headed off before we’d had our morning cuppas.

It seemed like everyone had decided to move at the same time. A Slisden boat had sent crew ahead to work the bridge, we followed them through, being followed by at least a widebeam. On the other side of the bridge there were at least two more boats waiting their turn, the poor chap with the key of power would be there for sometime along with the cars wanting to cross the bridge.

Boats waiting to go through Brewers Swing Bridge

The service point was free so we pulled in, filled the water, emptied the yellow water, disposed of rubbish, cleaned Tilly’s pooh box and sorted our bucket. A little blue boat pulled up in front and busied themselves doing similar.

Just as we’d untied and were just about to push off, the blue crew came out from below untied and pushed off without even glancing over their shoulder. They soon caught up with a trip boat, their speed being commented upon by the chap at helm of the trip boat. Just how fast were they going!?! I’d heard the chap make a comment about Keighley and 11 miles, maybe they were hoping to reach there for lunch!

We pootled on at our more sedate speed, respecting the banks of the canal and moored boats. As Snaygill Swing Bridge came into view we could see the cloud being emitted from the exhaust of the blue boat as they sped off again into the distance. Oh well, we’d not be leapfrogging at the swing bridges with them then.

Snaygill Swing Bridge was an easy push and pull back to lock it. Onwards we went looking for a shady spot to sit out tomorrows higher temperatures. This stretch tends to hug the A629 quite a lot, every now and then it meanders away from the road in a loop, keeping to it’s contour. The first such loop heads towards Bradley. Before the swing bridge there was a line of boats moored up, we were hoping for space shortly after it where trees might just give us some shade.

I hopped off to operate the bridge but was just beaten to the job by a lady from a boat coming the other way. Two boats came towards us then it was our turn. Just through the bridge sat the blue boat moored up, they seemed to have paused for lunch.

We pulled up a little bit further away from the bridge, checked the surroundings and let Tilly out to explore for the first time in ~~days~~ a life time! The washing was hung out to dry on the whirligig and we pottered away the afternoon doing a little bit of research on electric hobs for the house. Should we go induction or not?

TV signal was bad so we caught up with the days news on line. New lock down restrictions for areas in Manchester, Blackburn and into West Yorkshire are to come in at midnight. Would this affect us? At the moment we are between covid hotspot areas, but we’ll soon be into the Bradford area. The new measures won’t stop us from moving so we can continue to head eastwards, we just might not be able to catch up with friends and family on the way.

Tilly seemed to have had advanced warning of the new measures, cat curfew came and went. The mad cat woman came out and walked up and down the towpath several times with no sign of our second mate. Another try just before our pizzas came out of the oven and she showed her head right at the other end of the big field we were moored by. Blimey it took some time for her to make her way back to the towpath, at least she’d had a good afternoon.

0 locks, 2.78 miles, 1 keep to the right, 2 swing bridges, 8 let through, 6 held up, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean pooh box, 1 full water tank, 6mph maybe 7? 1 slighty shady mooring, 1 load washing dry, 1 cat out past curfew, 1 area of new measures ahead.

https://goo.gl/maps/sVX2SA5knqHJCUMc6

No Touching The Gunnels With Your Toes. 27th 28th July

The House, Scarborough

Tilly was right to sulk with us as we were heading away for the night, but we would be back, she knew that really. After six years and four days it was time for us to spend a night at our house in Scarborough.

With no Enterprise office in Skipton we’d had to look elsewhere for a hire car and Skipton Self Drive came up trumps. The depot was about a ten minute walk away from our mooring, so very handy and at £30 a day for a small car it was on a par with prices from Enterprise. Mick headed off before breakfast to pick it up and made use of the car park at Morrisons until we were ready.

The drive to Scarborough was a very slow one. The sat nav suggested a couple of hours, but our route around Harrogate and Knaresborough was plagued with road works and very long queues. But we arrived in Scarborough just gone 1pm and headed straight to Sainsburys were a click and collect order was waiting for us. We’d ordered essentials like toothpaste, garden waste bags, milk and of course to keep Mick happy cheese twists!

At the house the fridge was turned on, a bulb moved from the utility room to the downstairs toilet (we’d forgotten the bring the one we’d bought last time!) and we could have a cuppa with our lunch. It takes forever to get anywhere in the house. To go to the loo on the boat can never be more than 20 paces, but in the house double or triple that. Stairs too!

Mick sat and waded through the post, then spent much of the afternoon ringing around utility companies. I headed upstairs upstairs to find some bedding.

Six years ago we’d never imagined we’d be away for so long and even though my memory is pretty good I could not remember where things had been put. Duvets were easy to find, one bag even had been labelled, but the others were a case of opening them up and checking the sizes. Why did we have so many single duvets when we didn’t have a single bed?!

In the end I found a 15 tog king size duvet, one cover that would fit it, one fitted sheet and a couple of towels. To my amazement the vacuum bags things had been put in six years ago were still vacuum sealed, things smelt a little bit musty but an airing over the banister rails soon got rid of that.

The next request from Mick, did we still have a bread bin. Well the poor soul has had to live without a bread bin and a toaster for six whole years! I’d given him a whole shelf in a cupboard for bread on Oleanna too! Back up the windy stairs and I found it straight away.

Next gardening tools. We’d brought sheers from the boat and a tenant at some point had left a pair that looked quite good. Just where had the gardeny box gone? Soon found and there was everything that would be needed apart from a yard brush.

The canopy at the SJT . The restaurant opens this weekend and cinema back on in August

The afternoon was spent trying to tame a rose bush that used to send out a few shoots each year, now it was taking over the skyline of Scarborough. I managed to fill a sack and a half before the heavens opened and gave me a good soaking. Then with muddy wet hands I couldn’t turn the front door knob to get in so had to hammer on the door to get Micks attention.

By the end of the day, all utilities were back in our name, we could sleep the night and I’d made a big hole in the garden.

I made an order on line for some fish and chips from Cappleman’s who do gluten free and we headed off to collect them. They were very tasty and were accompanied by a bottle of white wine which had made its way into our essentials shop.

After a shower and a failed hunt for a hairdryer, a big list of jobs was written up as we sat on the sofa looking at a dining room table with a ladder resting on top just a few feet away, no TV for us.

Yum! Cooked in dripping just how they should be.

The 15 tog duvet was maybe a bit of overkill, but I suspect the summer weight one, if I’d found it, would have been too light weight. With a wider bed and space all round it in a huge room it all felt quite weird. No touching the other side of the boat with your toes or clambering over Mick and Tilly in the middle of the night to visit the loo. The seagulls woke us both up at 4am just as the sun was rising, they didn’t want us to forget they existed and serenaded us for a couple of hours. Oh how I’ve not missed those rowdy buggers!

Our neighbours trees have gone, we’ve nearly a sea view!

Just as we started to drink our cuppa in bed Mick’s phone rang, a plumber was on his way to talk about a boiler that wasn’t working. By the time Mick had quickly had a shower there was a knock on the front door and the chap who’d done work for us ten years ago was here to meet with us. The house has two boilers, one of which had ceased working a little while before our last tenant moved out. It obviously needs replacing before winter. We also had a short list of other jobs needing attention, including a gas pipe that had been put in after the kitchen floor had been dug up a few years ago and the builder had damaged it. The way the pipe had been done worked, but is not suitable as the pipe it passes through is a different metal. We can either dig the kitchen floor up again, or go for an electric hob instead. The latter will be the solution. Good we got to see the plumber as we can get things moving on that front if his price is okay.

A shopping trip to B&Q for a new mop and bucket, some window putty, a door mat and two brooms. One for the garden, the other for Oleanna.

The grass got a cut and all five rose bushes were trimmed back. I know it’s not the best time of year to be doing this and I have no idea really what I was doing, but they needed taming, luckily there was no Sleeping Beauty awaiting to be discovered in the flower beds.

Can anyone help me identify a few plants please?

This bush has tripled in size since we left, it has clusters/pompoms of little blue flowers earlier in the year. A huge bush with loads of yellow flowers. And one that at the moment has clusters of berries, it possible has red flowers earlier in the year, but I’m not sure.

Three small trees were removed/chopped back. A mass of ivy pulled out, the hydrangea dead headed from last year and Mick gave the forsythia a trim back into a better shape.The garden looks a lot better. Next time we’ll have to tackle the back gardens!

Six years ago houses on the street were being rented out, but now there seems to be more owner occupiers and a community feel about the place again. The chap two doors up came for a chat. Since Mick moved in back in 1991 he’s never had a conversation with this fella, turns out he’s the Town Crier! There will be celebrations in the street for VJ day when he’ll be crying for all to hear from the top of the street.

Once the kitchen floor had been washed, this is more floor area than we have in total on the boat, three windows liberated from sticky back plastic, the carpets hoovered and the car full of garden waste had been emptied at the tip it was time for us to head back west.

This time we took the back roads, confusing the sat nav, but avoiding holiday traffic on the A64 to York and most definitely avoiding Harrogate and Knaresborough road works.

Back at Oleanna Tilly was ecstatic to see us, sulking forgotten about and head nudges all round. We treated ourselves to an Indian take away as it had been a productive visit. Just a long list of jobs to work through on our next visits.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 2 routes, 1 big big house, 1 plumber, 5 sacks, 2 fish and chips, 1 bottle, 2 brooms, 1 mop, 2 buckets, 1 collapsible, 5 windows liberated, 1 tidyish garden, 1 happy Mick, 1 toaster, 1 breadbin, 1 loaf of bread left in it! 1 very happy cat, 0 poppadoms!

All The Signs Are Bad. 27th July

Gawflat Pipe Bridge

When the voice of Houdini wakes us all up it’s not a good sign. She tells them the time, ‘It’s time to get up, the time is….’ EARLY!! I haven’t finished my night time snoozes. She’s very rude that Houdini. Normally when she speaks that means there will be no pen game and they will be up and out of bed before I’ve had chance to warm toes up.

This morning Tom even went out before his dingding and left us girls to do jobs. She reached into the back of the bathroom cupboard, pulled out a bag and then the next bad sign, my magic food bowl.

Excited at first, because I like the way it flips open and TADAH!!!! my food is ready for me.

Tom came back from outside and said he’d got a white one and then had his morning dingding. Bags were pulled out and filled with things, other bags were pulled out and left empty.

Both compartments of my magic food bowl were filled with tasty morsels, they smelled nice. But then they were lifted out and a block of the coldest of coldness was put underneath them. This was the baddest sign of them all!

They were leaving me in charge. They were leaving me on my own. They were leaving me inside. Inside the steamy boat, it was wet outside. They were leaving me for two late dingdings!

She wanted to give me stroke, but I turned my back. NO head nudge for her!! If they think I don’t know what’s going on!

Well I do!!!!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 white one, 3 bags of stuff, 1 bag of bags, 2 many bad signs, 1 cat home alone, sitting in the window pleading with people to let me out to find friends.

Illegal Green. 26th July

Gargrave to Gawflat Pipe Bridge, Skipton

Oleanna had a touch of a list on this morning, but once the boat in front of us headed to the lock above and emptied it the surge of water levelled us out. Well that was until the next boat came up the lock below which then came past at quite a speed, however that didn’t really matter as we were on the bottom anyway.

Around about 11am we pushed off hoping that any showers had passed, but keeping our waterproofs near by. A widebeam had only shortly come up the lock but it needed a good top up before I could open the gates. A chilled medication stand stood next to the lock a chap busying himself inside, but he wasn’t open much to my disappointment. It would have been hard to open and close gates and paddles with one anyway.

Ahead at the next lock there was a boat coming up, meaning gates could be left. Here there was a right gathering of eager windlass operators, one lady winding up the top paddle as the gates closed! She soon realised her mistake and dashed to the bottom gates. I didn’t have to do a thing other than chat.

Below a short boat and a couple of narrowboats were waiting so it was just as well I’d decided to walk on to our next and last lock for a while. NB Kindred Spirit was just setting up to sell chilled medication too and the weather vain was hoping it had hit a six.

Holme Bridge Lock 30 has the busy A65 crossing it just below. This is the first lock most hire boats will encounter after they have picked their boat up. I remember on NB Rosie walking round and unlocking all the handcuffs with a key attached to a small buoy provided by Silsden Boats.

The bottom gate beams have writing carved into them. This is one of the four sites that were chosen in the inaugural year of Canal and River Trust to have lines of commissioned poems carved into them. Here Ian McMillan’s words were carved by Peter Coats. The other gates in this series are at Hillmorton Locks 4 and 5 on the Oxford Canal, Milnsbridge Lock 9E on the Huddersfield Narrow and Farmers Bridge Lock 8 on the BCN. More information can be found here.

Down we went the leaky top gates getting the stern of Oleanna a touch wet. Just as I’d opened the gates a voice shouted up from below asking to leave them open, no problem, I’d be happy to. Below were two boats, one a hire boat with it’s novice crew, nervous of what was to come, the chap from the other boat suggesting their front doors should be closed, very wise.

The valley now is wider, fields roll off in all directions. The recently cut grass glowing out from all around. When I was at college I once designed a set of costumes for a ballet and included this colour in four of my drawings. But my tutor, Sue told me off. These four dancers (part of the corps de ballet) would totally pull focus, up stage everyone else and everything on stage. She called this colour Illegal Green and I was never to use it unless it’s natural abilities were required! So far I’ve succeeded in avoiding it.

Now with the locks behind us for a while, swing bridges take over. There are many along this pound of the Leeds Liverpool. In the past they have never got the better of me, but sadly this was not going to be the case today.

Highgate Swing Bridge just would not budge. A group on canoists were approaching from the other side, two had already ducked under the others waited for me to open the bridge. I explained they could wait ten minutes whilst Mick came to give a shove from the towpath or they could limbo underneath. They chose the latter, although one chap did give me quite a filthy look.

It took a while for Mick to tie up and come and assist. All it took was an extra push from the towpath side to get it moving, then I was okay. Under where the bridge sits when closed to boats there was loads of mud. As I shut it I could hear it sucking onto the structure and holding it firm again.

In contrast Thorlby Swing bridge was so easy, I could have moved it with just one hand. Two boats were coming towards us here so I waited to let them through.

Then Niffany Swing Bridge! This bridge sits alongside the A6069 on a bit of a bend. On the offside is a farm and caravan site so it gets used quite a bit.

I unlocked the handcuff and started to swing it, except it stalled after about a foot. I tried pushing it back to take a run up, but it was stuck fast on what lay below it. Mick would have to come and assist again from the towpath. He didn’t need to do much before the bridge started to move again. Of course just as we’d got it moving a motorcaravan turned up wanting to turn off the road. I was not going to close the bridge and have to reopen it.

A lady jumped out and waited for the bridge to close again. She crossed over as I started to try to close the handcuff again. As she stood and watched me, just a little bit too close, I felt under even more pressure to get the lock back in place. The chain didn’t play ball, then the screw didn’t engage. I was about to give up, but tried again whilst I was watched and commented at. At last it was locked. As I walked across the bridge the lady had to double check my work which I’m afraid got my back up. ‘It’s as locked as ever it will be!’ The bridge wouldn’t move anyway without a lot of sideways movement.

Now the gardens of Skipton joined us, someone has added a sign post to their display.

A new development of apartments sits by the canal just recently finished by the looks. Bland photographs of the interiors, but the building has a nice modern feel outside whilst sitting well in it’s surroundings. £159,000 will get you two bedrooms and a parking space, First floor £180,000.

As we approached Gawflat Swing Bridge, a busy pedestrian crossing, a chap stood up and pushed it open for us. It turns out that the bridge has become quite stiff and some people may have injured themselves so now C&RT are operating it, shame they weren’t doing this at the others we’d had problems with.

We pulled in to fill with water and I walked ahead to look for a space. We hoped the two Silsden Hire boats would maybe pull off before our tank was full. But both boats were padlocked shut and no signs of life, they’d stopped for more than just lunch. No other space available before Brewery Swing Bridge.

The towpath was very busy so in the end we decided to take the advice from the other boat that was filling up and to move back through the bridge behind us a little further out of town where there was plenty of space. So the chap at the bridge did his thing again. I stood at the front just incase we needed to push off from the bridge as the wind was pushing us about quite a bit.

Sadly for Tilly there is a road within 30 ft of us so no shore leave today. We’ll just have to cope with a sulky cat, or maybe go out and avoid her complaining.

3 locks, 4 swing bridges 1 twice, 1 motorcaravan held up, 1 annoying lady, 1 full water tank, 1 bucket on the roof, 1 illegally green world, 1 mardy cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/cXS2XYzTA2s24N466

Always Close Your Clough Before The Gate Is Fully Open. Or, What Else Could Go Wrong?!

Keld Well Bend to Gargrave

Wanting to get a touch closer to Skipton today we had breakfast whilst it rained and then hoped for it to be drier for our descent of Bank Newton Locks. With our cuppas in insulated mugs we were rolling back the covers at 10am, Geraghty Zoom time. Mick used his phone to attend the zoom and put it in the clamp on top of the hatch so everyone could see us as we went along.

They had to put up with us sorting ourselves out, but then after push off we could join in on the conversation. Cheese, a friend of Tilly’s (human Tilly) had fallen into the water and Amadeus were the topics of conversation that I got glimpses of.

We waved goodbye to our mooring, two more boats on different loops visible and then we wound round the hills towards Bank Newton.

First lock of the day in view and Anne and Alasdair

Just after we’d arrived at the locks and I was setting the top one the heavens opened, which meant Mick had to leave the zoom as his phone needed to go inside. Hello and bye to everyone from me.

Top Lock cottage and a clough ground paddle open, partially

Just as we’d come into the lock and were closing gates behind us a boat came into view, time to open the gates again and let them come down the locks with us. NB Amelie had been moored round the bend from us last night and they’d spotted us pushing off so had hoped to catch up.

The lady on board hadn’t worked a lock before but that was fine she soon got the hang of things. We wound the paddles up to empty the lock and down the boats went.

Just off the towpath I spotted what looked like a mountain of weed, almost 6ft high, blimey the Lockies must have been pulling this out for weeks!

Always close your clough before the gate is fully open

Now in the land of clough ground paddles I remembered that the best way to move them was by pretending to be the karate kid, well that’s if you could get them moving to start with. The wooden cloughs operate a paddle that sits over the opening below water and you lift the handle up in he air to open up the flow of water. Sometimes the water pressure is such that they won’t shift, but then as the lock fills, the pressure gets less and you can move them easier.

By lock 39 we came across the two Lock Keepers raking weed out from the bywashes, they only had short handled little rakes, I suggested that C&RT should buy them a proper Keb, ‘chance would be a fine thing’ was the response. The mountain of weed at the top of the locks is what they have collected since the beginning of June and every day they collect more and more.

Two hire boats were coming up the lock below so we were asked to wait to empty our chamber until they had lifted the gate paddles so our water wouldn’t flood over the top gates.

I chatted away to the Lockie, Nigel about favourite canals, moorings and where we’d all been for lockdown. However I ran out of time to chat to him about family, back in 2016 we somehow managed to sus that he might just be a distant cousin of mine as his surname is the same as my Mum’s maiden name and his Dad came from Thornton as did my Mum. I still need to check this out with my cousins who we may just get to see on our way into Leeds soon.

The two hire boats swapped locks with us, a lady stood chatting away with me before she realised she might be needed at the next lock, but her boat had just decided to wind before the lock so getting it back on course would take a bit of time.

Nigel informed us that the bottom lock would need all the paddles lifting to fill it as it leaks so much but by the time we got down to it the other Lockie had already filled it for us and opened the gates.

The bridge over the bottom of the last lock has seen better days a huge crack in it and the handrail wrapped in hazard tape. A new box structure has been added on top giving a more solid walkway.

This is when things started to go wrong!

Below there was a wide beam moored on the lock landing. I let the chaps know, they’d be very aware of it as soon as the bottom gates opened anyway. NB Amelie planned on stopping for a cuppa before continuing where as we wanted to carry on to Gargrave. So we were to pull out first, pass the widebeam so that Mick could pick me up at the water point, the other boat loitering until we left.

My gate didn’t open quite fully but I didn’t think anything of it until I came to close it again. Would it move! Would it b**er! With the help of the other lady we tried and tried to push, pull, tug, bump, push again but the gate was just not moving. We’d have to find one of the Lock Keepers.

I stood up and shouted to Mick that I was going to walk up the flight for a Lockie. Then I happened to glance down towards NB Amelie. Blimey, the chap was in the water! His boat was drifting backwards diagonally towards the lock, luckily out of gear as he tried to follow it, swimming with his barge pole in one hand.

Meanwhile the widebeam, realising they were in the way started to untie. The last thing we wanted right now was a turning prop with a man in the water. I shouted to Mick who was looking my way to stop them from pushing off.

‘MAN IN THE WATER!!!’

The chap from the widebeam managed to stop NB Amelie from moving and the chap in the water decided to head towards the off side bank, the water being deep. Fences and mesh were in the way and I knew I’d not be able to help him out even if I could get to him. I think having his pole with him gave him an extra means of pushing himself out, he then just had to climb through hedges fences and wire! But thank goodness he was out.

The lady from the widebeam explained that she has broken ribs and that is why they’d stopped on the lock landing to give her a rest, she’d suggested to her other half to stop a little bit further on. Maybe if they had nobody would have got wet!

The gate still needed closing, still no joy. Three people giving it a heave ho and eventually it moved.

The chap from Amelie was understandably wanting a shower and a cuppa before doing anything else, so we left him to it and pulled out before the widebeam had chance to over take us.

Lock 35 is a bit of a distance on, as we approached a couple of boats were just coming out towards us, marvellous one less set of gates to deal with. We swapped over, I closed one gate and Mick the other. I then wound the bottom paddles up.

Behind us I could hear a boat horn as the widebeam got to the next bridge, there wasn’t enough space for the narrowboat and it, so the narrowboat had to pull over. Mick asked if the gate paddles were closed properly. Mine was, but I couldn’t see the one on Mick’s gate. I walked round to find it a third up, with that wound down we could finish emptying the lock and be on our way.

The gates were open at Lock 34 ready for us, maybe they’d drifted open after the uphill boats had left. Down we went, only for me to not be able to close the bottom gate again. Mick sailed away, looking over his shoulder, but carried on.

I pushed, pulled, bounced the gate. Back and forth the little amount it would move, still no luck. Two ladies walked up and I asked if they were willing to help. With two and a half people pulling it still didn’t move. One lady looked down behind the gate, ‘Look there’s something down there’. Well all I could see was what was meant to be there. We’d have to call C&RT. Luckily by now Mick had realised I needed help so he reversed up and came to help. With the two of us pulling and pushing and bumping the gate in unison it finally moved!

One last lock for today. The gates were open on this one too, but this time it was the bottom gates. Maybe they’d blown open too, or maybe a widebeam had forgotten it was north of Watford and had just left them.

A family stood by the lock. Mum and daughter a bit interested, but Dad had that five year old glint in his eye. Would you like to help? He stopped just short of saying ‘Hell Yes!’ He helped with the gate and then wound up a box paddle to help fill the lock. He and his family were going abroad for their holidays in a couple of weeks, but are now hiring a boat from Silsden instead. He was so excited and very helpful.

A boat was approaching from below, but then they seemed to turn in to face the offside. Where they were wasn’t a winding hole and was far too short for them to turn, so they had got themselves stuck. Me and Mr Over Excited closed the gates, I thanked him and walked down to see if I could help at all.

They’d missed the winding hole and did not want to go up the next nine locks to turn. Only one thing for it, reverse. They managed to get over to the side and let us past, we then promised not to watch as they came backwards. We found a mooring and slotted in. The chap once lined up was managing to reverse really quite well, we congratulated him, as it was his first time.

Before we sat down for lunch Mick headed off on the bike for a newspaper, luckily there were loads of our chosen Saturday read at the Co-op and everyone, including Mick wore a mask.

After a few hours we’ve had to push the stern out and put a tyre fender to work as the pound keeps dropping and we keep listing. Mick’s been to check the paddles at the next lock and all is as it should be. Just too many boats coming into this pound to moor for the day and not bringing a lock of water down to replenish the level. At least we can’t roll off our bed if we list any more.

9 locks, 2.41 miles, 1 damp zoom, 1 cousin, 1 mountain of weed, 1 widebeam, 1 man overboard, 2 sets of gates, 1 dropping pound, 1 cat who’d like to go back to where we were last night please, 3 billboards.

https://goo.gl/maps/6uZVkQnapAdcLJEz6

Vegan Rolls, Beef Burgers And A Pooped Cat

Keld Well Bend

Nudged round the corner just a touch more

As we finished off our cuppas in bed this morning we heard an engine start up. Were our neighbours about to head off or were they just using the microwave? We soon saw the lady walking along the towpath and then herd their prop start turning. We got dressed quickly and were out pulling Oleanna along by half a boats length to be just a touch further away from the bend yet still keeping the views. Perfect!

Breakfast was finished just shortly before the bow of NB Billy appeared around the bend. Last night they had stayed at East Marton so Clare’s daughter could join them for a few days.

We had chats before they carried on around the remainder of the curly wurlys reappearing round the last of the big bends, a final wave. Our bows may cross again this summer as their planned route is similar to ours, but we are slowing down now, who knows we may pass on the Ouse!

Mick had requested a loaf of bread and with a barbecue planned for later I decided to try out a recipe for some dinner rolls made with yeast, not sour dough, to have with some home made burgers. Both types of bread could share the top oven, but mine needed a couple of hours to rise rather than just half an hour for Mick’s.

I needed to make some seed flour, pumpkin, sunflower and a few sesame seeds got zuzzed with the hand zuzzer and then forced through a sieve. Lots of other flour was added along with psallium husk and yeast. No egg or butter as my beef burger buns would be vegan. Have to say after two hours I was glad to see the dough had risen nicely. Mick’s multiseed loaf did it’s thing too before both were put in the oven. Not a bad result, the boat smelt wonderful, although the proof would be in the eating.

The sun had come out so I decided to make the most of being outside and washed down the starboard side of the roof and cabin. Blimey it really needed it. The matting that our coal sits on leaves a pretty pattern and around each mushroom vent was really quite yucky. Have to say I’m not sure when I last washed Oleanna, just hope I can get the port side to match soon.

With the cabin washed I decided to have a go at the grab rail. The red paint has now faded and started to go white in parts and I’d wondered if some t-cut might just bring it back, sadly it didn’t work. Red is renowned for this as it is the first colour to fade in sunlight. I never did get round to finishing touching up the grab rail last summer so some patches need some more work anyway. The original plan was to repaint the grab rail after travelling through Standedge Tunnel but that trip has been put off to another year. So I need to get some more paint mixed as somehow the tin we got shortly after Oleanna was launched is not the correct red. When we were in Sheffield last the painter at Finesse gave me the dregs of a tin to keep us going.

Next I turned my attention to the scratches that a broken branch on the Bosely flight had inflicted all the way along the cabin side. Ages ago I’d bought some blue scratch cover. This seemed to do a reasonable job, although it depends on what angle you stand at, but it is far better than it was. The cabin sides just need a polish now. I suggested to Mick that that was a blue job, not a red one. He’s not so convinced though!

Mick gave our life ring some new rope. The original rope had given up a little while ago so needed replacing. Should you ever need to use a life ring the rope makes it easier to grab and keep hold of in the water. The ring had a good wash too before going back on the roof within reasonable reach from the stern.

This evening the barbecue came out despite increasing cloud cover. The big bag of charcoal we bought at Bollington Wharf was opened, Restaurant grade charcoal. I thought it would burn quickly, but it held it’s heat very well.

A while ago Mick had ordered by accident some vacuum packed sweetcorn. We quite often have sweetcorn for a starter, but we won’t be using this type again. Very watery with little flavour.

I added some red onion, whole grain mustard and tarragon to some beef mince for burgers and they were very tasty indeed and almost stayed together on the grill. The buns were very tasty, maybe next time I’ll leave them to rise a little bit more before baking them.

With glasses of wine to accompany our meal we enjoyed the view even more. A couple of horse riders hacked through the field below and Tilly was allowed to stay out until we finished. It just started to rain as we were finishing off. No sign of Tilly until I started to call for her, a good distance away her tail shot up into the air. After a whole day of exploration she was exhausted, stumbling as she trotted back to me. In the end I helped her out and gave her a lift back to the boat. A few mouthfuls of food a quick bath and then she was out for the count with in five minutes.

0 locks, 0 miles, 7 boats, 9 vegan buns, 1 loaf, 0.5 clean boat, 3 scratches covered, 2 substandard cobs, 4 veg kebabs, 4 burgers, 2 glasses of wine, 1 lovely day in our No 1 Mooring, 1 exhausted cat, 2 Mrs Tilly Stamps of Approval.

Six Years. 23rd July

Greenberfield Bottom Lock to Keld Well Bend, the Curly Wurlys.

A damp day sadly but we hadn’t planned to go far and it was all on the flat. We pushed off just gone 10 with our post breakfast cuppas in insulated mugs, meaning we’d get going sooner.

The farmers were still out turning the grass and raking it up ready for collection. NB Whistle Down The Wind showed off its steam chimney and water gushed into the canal on a bend, obviously being pumped from somewhere.

After a couple of miles we reached East Marton and the Double Arched Bridge. This is where we moored on our second night whilst on our first hire boat together, not quite managing to reach a mooring where we could walk across the fields to Thornton-in-Craven to a friends house for a meal. A lift had to be provided and we were glad of it after 12 locks and 5 swing bridges that day.

The Cross Keys pub at East Marton also has memories for me. This is where my best friends Grandad, Grandpa Lee used to bring us to celebrate his birthdays. A long table would be laid out for his 15 to 20 guests for Sunday lunch all ending with Grandpa Lee telling us a shaggy dog story and nearly always getting the punch line wrong having to be corrected by his grandchildren who’d heard it numerous times before. I always give a wave to him as we pass.

We pulled in at the water point just a little further on to top up the tank. I had a walk back to take some more photos of the bridge. I’m considering turning my illustration/painting skills to capturing scenes from our canal journeys to add to my Etsy shop which could do with a bit of a boost. Hopefully if popular this would give us a touch of pocket money whilst income from theatre is none existent.

With the tank full we pushed onwards, not much further, with our fingers crossed. We hoped that we could find space at our favourite mooring on the curly wurlys.

The canal sticks to it’s contour and winds round Langber TV mast, first it’s on that side then ahead then the other side, but soon you forget it is even there as the views open up around you.

We could see that there were boats. One along the last straight before the canal ties itself in knots. A cruiser on the end of the bend. A grey boat sat where we thought we’d like to be, we pulled just past it, maybe a touch too close to the bend. I walked round to see what space there might be on the other side. Two boats but a length just in front of them which seemed to be just a touch further from the bend than where we’d pulled up. We pulled round and moored up, hoping we were leaving enough space in front of the first boat so they still had a view from their cratch.

When asked by people which is our favourite canal we say the Leeds Liverpool. When asked which is our favourite bit, we say the curly wurlys. Last time we came through we didn’t manage to climb the locks early enough in the day to reach here as it was dark.

Time to see what Tilly made of it. Well she had a good sniff around and then jumped on the wall. Yep not bad. NOt bad!!! She just wanted to get her head down and find friends.

The afternoon stayed damp. My starter stayed flat. I’m running out of brown rice flour and am getting a touch disillusioned with it. I fed it one last time and decided to use the discard to make some crackers. A good amount of fresh rosemary and thyme went into the mix along with a scattering of sea salt. The result was really quite tasty and certainly crunchy. I may be making more of these!

I’d found a pack of gluten free pizza dough in the drawer the other day, so that was used instead of a sourdough base. It was okay, but lacked much taste and was only a vehicle for the ham, caramelised red onion and goats cheese topping.

We also finished watching the second half of Amadeus from the National Theatre. Salieri and Mozart were great performances. It was enjoyable but I really wished I’d been sat in the theatre as there were obviously things happening just out of shot that I’d like to have seen.

Three boats came past. Two hire boats who we thought had managed the bend well, so we looked away. Then a big bang followed by a 58ft 6inch scraping noise all the way along our rubbing strakes. The boat in front of us was a touch more peeved than we were, shouting out their hatch as the scraping noise continued for another 50 odd foot before the tiller was pushed over, as the hire boat ended up facing into the off side bank. They were being followed by another boat who had been managing to hold their course well until they had to slow down. Mick offered tiller advise which helped. They were both just heading to wind, but luckily they returned with out making contact.

Today there has been a flurry of emails regarding Chippy Panto. So far there is no news. The government have only given the entertainment industry aspirational dates for reopening to full houses. Under current guidance Chippy would only be able to have 40 to 75 in the audience, not enough to cover the cost of opening the building for the day and all the additional cleaning required between performances. Along with audience safety there is also the safety of the acting company and creative staff both on stage and off in such a building. It may be that all entrances have to be from SL and all exits SR and no audience participation! Not quite panto.

The doors currently remain firmly closed to help preserve the theatres future for years to come. The Governments rescue package still has no guidelines as to how it will be distributed and whether it could be used to guarantee the show. We all carry on waiting.

On a much lighter note, the title of todays blog. Six Years ago today we climbed into our Peugeot 207SW dropped keys off to our house with the rental agency in Scarborough and headed to Sowerby Bridge where NB Lillyanne (Lillian) our bright yellow boat had been waiting for us. Houdini our second mate did not know what was happening and found a shelf in the wardrobe very comforting for the first few days. So six years ago we set out for a year afloat and we’re still here, on our favourite mooring. Not a bad way to celebrate, well we’ll postpone the celebrations till tomorrow when hopefully the weather will have improved.

Our mooring here on the 3rd September 2014

0 locks, 3.78 miles, 1 double bridge, 1 full water tank, 1 wave, 1 damp day, 0 sourdough pizza, 1 boring doves pizza, 32 tasty crackers, 0 news about 0 news, 1 woofer stand off, 360 degree views, 6 years.

https://goo.gl/maps/PRCaTijmr3YLtCKt8

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna