A cuppa in bed with yesterdays paper with a pretty good view out of the window, bliss.
Once up, breakfasted and enough layers on I popped down to have a look at the Tithe Barn. Both it’s doors were wide open inviting the light and myself inside.
What wonderful shapes
The amount of timber in there and the number of joints! Very impressive. The roof beams have been analysed and the timber dates from 1334 to 1379. In the 1950’s major work was carried out to preserve the building by the Ministry of Works, now English Heritage.
More Tithe Barn
Time to get moving, I’ve a panto to get to.
Green for GO!
As I’d just pushed the bow out a chap walked by with a windlass, a hire boat heading back to Foxhangers, we could team up with them to do the lock. A day boat was just coming down so our two boats came into the prepared lock. A gongoozler was concerned that someone’s shoes were getting wet in the bow of the hire boat, I indicated to Mick that they should nudge back as they were right up against the cil. The paddles were raised and we were on our way up.
Bradford Lock
More boats waited to come down and one chap asked, ‘Is there a reason this paddle hasn’t been lifted all the way?’ This was said in either an I don’t understand manor or that I was a woman so therefore didn’t know what I was doing! I pointed out that there was no more paddle to lift to which he just said ‘Oh!’
Reserving your space on the visitor moorings, we were tempted to pull in
Mick had stocked up yesterday, but one or two things were still needed. This was luckily remembered before we left the lock, so I hopped off and walked up to Sainsburys picked up what was wanted and returned to the canal at the next bridge where Mick had pulled in just behind NB Sanity at Last, who we’d shared locks with on the other side of the summit over a month ago.
Fill her up please
Onwards to Hilperton where we pulled in to top up the diesel tank, we only needed about 30 litres but at 72p it wasn’t to be missed. A couple more bags of coal and we were on our way again.
Traditional pasties, mine smaller at the back!
I’d brought home some pasties so 30 minutes on gas mark 4 and they were nicely heated through for a lunch break at the bottom of Semington Locks. As you can see Mick’s pasty was far bigger than mine!
Semington Bottom Lock
As I walked between the bottom and top lock there was a chap trying with all his might to prise his boat off the bottom. Blimey it was on a list, the only thing to do was add more water to the pound, a boat was about to come down so hopefully that would help. With the lock emptying the chap used his gang plank to try to shift his boat. In the end he managed to back it off with large clouds of black smoke coming from his engine. As he moved off you could see that his boat had quite a list to it anyway, he pulled in on the offside before the lock, breasting up to another boat, presumably fully afloat.
Swing
From here I walked on ahead to open the next three swing bridges, the weather was lovely, a great day to be back boating again, even if my legs were starting to complain.
Good name, they even have a red cows face on their licence
The visitor moorings below Seend Locks were empty so we pulled in, hoping someone might come down before the morning to empty the bottom lock. Tilly headed off into the undergrowth and we put a roast chicken in the oven. What a lovely Sunday.
Such a colourful boat with red eye lashes
3 locks, 7.15 miles, 4 swing bridges, 2 traditional pasties, 500grams prunes, 1 box oat cakes, 27 litres, 40kg excel, 1 roast chicken with all the works, 1 pooped Pip.
On Sunday Mick helped me with all my things to Avoncliff Station.
This used to be a request stop
I had quite a lot and a quick change at Westbury Station so he decided to come with me that far to help get me onto the next train. After another change I got a taxi to Admirals Hard where I caught the Cremyll Ferry across to the Rame Peninsula. Only an eight minute crossing but just long enough for those of us sat outside to get sprayed by the waves.
A woofer passenger on the Cremyll Ferry
Lou was there to pick me up, we dropped my work things off at the workshop where Ade was busy and then she gave me a lift down to the village of Kingsand. With keys to my flat I made myself comfortable, stocked up on some things to eat and drink from the shop, possibly getting ripped off and then went for an explore. This was likely to be the only time I’d get in daylight to look round.
The old border
Kingsand and Cawsand are twin villages in Cornwall, however until 1844 Kingsand was in Devon and Cawsand Cornwall. A house still marks the boundary, about 100 ft away from my flat.
Cawsand
Several small beaches link the houses together, all very characterful, smugglers hiding in the corner of your eye. Narrow roads with no parking make for a tranquil place, well until the tide comes in! It did however feel as though nobody actually lives there, it’s just for the tourists now.
My groundfloor bedroom window and the sea!
My flat was about as long as Oleanna but wider. Have to say that our bathroom layout is better designed despite being half the size. Everything was very comfortable, but the kitchen lacked a few basics that would have made cooking a touch more flavoursome.
Last bit left to prime
Monday morning I was picked up from outside one of the pubs and was at work for 8.30. First thing was to lay out the back drop. Normally this would have been stretched on a frame, but as my design needed me to be able to draw lots of circles we laid it out on the floor. By 10am I’d primed the cloth and gained a couple of blisters in the process. Ade and Lou’s workshop has been having a new roof fitted, the central ridge still needed replacing and in parts it was open to the sky. So as the day progressed and the weather outside became damp, buckets were deployed around the place.
Drawn up ready to paint
By the end of the day just about every bit of set that was ready had been primed and my backdrop was marked out. A pencil and string being my compass, I could have done with Frank’s trammel heads (ends of a compass that you can attach to a length of wood), but I managed in the end.
Wednesday the sun came out, only one thing for the canine assistants to do, sunbath
Tuesday and I started to lay blocks of colour onto the backdrop. Three shades of blue paint, a straight edge and a steady hand were needed. Occasionally a helping paw would appear, Bo and Shine two collies spend their days over seeing what happens in the workshop and hoping to be able to gain access to the bins from next door.
Pasty powered painting
The workshop is next door to CornishPod, winner of the World Pasty Championship in 2016. The smells wafting through from them were too much for me, on Monday I’d put in an order for a couple of gluten free pasties. Fresh and warm I enjoyed one for my lunch, keeping the second one for Wednesday. The day was wet again, water flooded in through a hole that had been made for new electrics, a blocked drain was found and sorted by the landlord.
Wednesday thankfully a dry day but water had seeped under the wooden floor where my cloth was pinned out , it had crept up between the sheets and was creating quite a stain. In parts the cloth was wetter than when I’d first painted it. Action was taken and we relaid it on sheets of plastic, a fan heater deployed to drive off the worst of the moisture and I concentrated on painting the portals. The roofers were back in for the day, covering up sections of the ridge.
Tellytubbies
Each morning I woke to wonderful sunrises, some from Tellytubbies,
A new day
others more moody and grown up. Not a bad view to have from your bedroom window. The local sea swimmers would all walk down for their morning dip shortly after dawn. They’d bob away in the swell as the tide came in, Kingsand only seems to have high tide!
Oops I might have bought some cheese!
Thursday was the start of the next storm. We hoped the worst would miss us. The team grew by two, Ade’s nephew Frank and a scenic artist Debs. Debs had come to paint another set they have been building for The Drum in Plymouth. Nothing quite so time consuming as my backdrop and portals, just lots of washes and rust. Lu and Frank lent a hand where needed, basing things in for me and painting black for Debs. As the day progressed the winds got stronger and stronger, necessitating brushing more bits of decaying roof off my backdrop.
The view whilst waiting for my lift
By the time I got back to my flat the tide was being aided by the wind. On other evenings towards high tide the waves had been making it onto the road outside my front door, but the direction of the wind having changed and the tides not being so high the waves just crashed against my bedroom wall instead. Their bumping giving the sofa a slight nudge. I hoped I’d be able to get some sleep, but thankfully things calmed down and I managed to get some shut eye.
Tides
Friday, Debs and I were left to it in the workshop, the others on apple duty back at the house. Ade and Lou have around 250 apple trees from which they press apple juice. This years crop has been plentiful, so whilst painting brushes were working hard at the workshop, Lou and Frank picked up the latest windfalls and Ade worked his way through the first of 40 crates of apples.
Finished!
By the end of the day the other set was finished and Panto had a completed backdrop and two portals. Plenty more for me to do, but at least the main aim of the week was completed. I celebrated by having a halloumi and roasted pepper pasty for lunch, very tasty it was too.
Saturday my last day. A quick tidy up of the flat before I got a lift up to the workshop to see what I could achieve before heading home. I made a good start on two large flats, but I’d hoped to get them almost completed but the paint just wasn’t drying quickly enough. There was also the matter of packing paint and mixing colours so Lou can carry on basing things in,hopefully saving me hours of work.
Mixing grey
The last job was to mix a huge vat of grey. I hate mixing grey, you think you’ve nearly reached the right shade, just a bit more black, a bit more, a bit more, maybe just a touch more. Damn! Now a bit more white!!
Frank and Lou, my cloth was raised and stretched out shortly after this
The other set was loaded onto a wagon. The pieces I’d finished were stacked away and the backdrop was hung to help it continue drying. The water stain is fading but I doubt it will go completely.
Plymouth
Back in my civvies it was time to head for the train. A lift down to the ferry which was just coming in, then an awaiting cab to the station. I had 4 minutes to get to the right platform, my luggage a touch lighter as my brushes will go to Chipping Norton with the set. Two trains and I arrived back in Bradford on Avon where Mick was there to meet me.
A hard weeks work in the company of the lovely Lou and Ade in such a wonderful setting. It’s just a shame I never really got to see the village at low tide in day light.
Meanwhile back on Oleanna.
Mick and Tilly have not been idle. On Sunday afternoon Mick moved the boat a little towards Bradford joining the local boats. On Monday he took the toilet to bits. We have a Separett Villa, the urine gets separated into a tank under the floor from which we can pump it out into another container for disposal. Gradually when rinsing through the system I have noticed it taking longer and longer for the water to drain to the tank, so I’d raised a chitty with the maintenance department.
It was quite sometime ago that Finesse showed us how everything had gone together but Mick managed quite easily to remove the toilet and then the floor above the tank. From the separator one pipe leads to another which then does two 90 degree turns to enter the underfloor tank. Here was where the blockage was gradually getting worse and when Mick poured vinegar into the top it stayed put, the pipe finally having blocked.
Our yellow water tank, the blocked bend on the left
With some drain unblocking cabley thing and more vinegar he eventually managed to shift the blockage. No need to cross our legs, we can go to the loo again. But maybe we need to add more vinegar to the bottle we spray the separator with, or even add it neat every now and again, or maybe we should just drink it so that the pipe doesn’t block again.
On Tuesday morning I made a request that Tom should move the outside. This outside was okay, but another would be better, so he moved it to a Mrs Tilly stamp award winning mooring, Dundas. Here I busied myself outside, returning to check on Tom only to find he’d lost his legs! I found them for him down in the big box at the back of Oleanna. It was quite soggy down there so Tom was trying to get rid of all the Aunty freeze that had leaked there a month or so ago. He was very careful to keep me away from this Aunty, apparently it can be deadly to cats.
Purring paws
Thursday they filled with water winded and headed back towards Avoncliff. All the sink U bends and shower traps were given a good clean and then on Friday they moved up to Bradford and managed to get a spot on the 48hr moorings below the lock. Here was good, plenty to keep me occupied, but then Tom decided to nudge the outside a touch. This touch to the outside meant there were far more woofers, in fact a constant stream of them. It really wasn’t worth stepping off the boat!
0 locks, 7.24 miles by boat, 5 different moorings, 1 calcified lump added to the yellow water tank, 10 litres anti-freeze, 2 winds, 5 trains, 2 taxis, 2 ferries, 13 lifts, 2 pretty villages, 0 beach to be seen, 6m plus high tide, £51!!! 2nd shop at the co-op, 1 flat almost on the beach, 1 thumping sea, 4 bottles wine, 1 bottle oil and some garlic required, 58 hours, 1 fat knee, 1 pastie powered painter, 1 back cloth, 2 portals complete, 1 well used straight edge, 2 woofer assistants, 1 slightly blue ball, all three crew back on board, 1 purring cat.
With no plans of going anywhere today we treated ourselves to a cooked breakfast. Whilst the sausages sizzled in the oven I sanded back to primer on the grabrail, getting it one more step towards a top coat. Above is should be the usual photo. Edited.
The day was set to be wet and it didn’t disappoint, but there was time before the heavens opened to give Mick a much needed hair cut. He always looks younger with less hair.
Other boats moved off so we decided to see if we could get closer to the side if we moved a touch back. But the ledge meant we’d be sticking out more at one end than the other no matter what we did, so we returned to our previous position. Here the ledge could be used to assist with touching up the few patches above the water line.
The start of my new proscenium
Whilst I got on with some painting of my Houdini model, Mick was given the job of washing down the water line and the gunnel. I still hoped that there might be a long enough window of dryness for me to get a coat of paint on. But the heavens opened splashing mud back onto the gunnels and keeping everything far too damp outside.
Tilly came and went, occasionally stopping for some Dreamies and a check on what I was up to. She was right I’d made the false proscenium a touch too elaborate, maybe I’ll have to make it again!
A full roast dinner ended the day. We refrained from lighting the stove as the oven had been on for so long, the boat being nice and cosy.
Saturday
Tilly was kept in whilst we had breakfast, when the boats behind us had moved off and the long procession of hire boats had come down from Bradford we pushed off ourselves backwards to the water point. The tank was filled, the gunnel rinsed off we then pulled forward just past the houses and got a slightly less gritty bit of towpath to moor alongside.
Mick headed into Bradford on a bike for a newspaper whilst I managed to get some undercoat on the grabrail. This however didn’t get chance to dry off enough before the next spattering of rain. At least I know it’ll need another coat anyway along with a good sand.
That looks better
Oleanna was on a good list on the ledge. I masked off the ends of the gunnel and the press studs for the cratch cover so everything was ready. Wiped everywhere down again. By now it seemed dry enough to touch up below the gunnel with some blacking. I worked quickly and ended up giving the whole area a thin covering so as not to look patchy, extra time and thickness of paint afforded to where it was needed most.
After lunch the big tin of Epifanes Multiforte Black was dug out from a bow locker. Even though our bow lockers are dry, this tin of paint has gradually been rusting where the lid meets the tin. The curled edge of the lid uncurling itself as you try to prise it open. I’d known that sooner or later we’d need a new air tight container to keep the paint in. Today was that day as the only way the lid was coming off was by denting the airtight seal.
That’s one side done
Mick headed back into Bradford to see if he could find a cheap container whilst I got back on my kneeling mat and worked my way along the gunnel. The occasional light bit of rain soon dried off and luckily didn’t land on the vertical surface.
I’d taken a risk with the weather and with Tilly being out, but the black was soon dry enough to withstand both of them. Just a shame that as soon as I stood back to admire the finish I could spot a few places where I’d missed a bit of bubbling paint. No time to sort that now sadly, they may come back to haunt me next year. A second coat would be better, but for now this will see us through to spring on this side.
I’m not allowed on the cat walk!?
Mick returned with a couple of containers from Sainsburys, the paint was decanted and sealed away. Hopefully the small container will all get used on the starboard side sometime soon.
The remainder of the day was spent packing for next week. Tomorrow I head off for a weeks painting near Plymouth, trying to get ahead on panto. Last year we spent quite a bit of money on a scenic artist who interpreted my model somewhat instead of following it. So this year I’m earning some extra money by doing a weeks painting before the set goes into the theatre where I’ll finish it. There’s a lot to do so I may not get chance to enjoy my flat right on the beach at Kingsand!
Gluten free cider batter
This evening we treated ourselves to a meal out at the Cross Guns. Their menu was limited but they did do gluten free fish and chips in a cider batter. This was very tasty and Mick enjoyed his cheese and bacon burger. As there was a pudding I could eat as well it would have been silly not to. A slice of warm polenta cake, very nice.
Pudding too
So, unless Mick or Tilly feel the urge to write something on the blog next week, all will be silent. I may get chance to post a postcard, but I suspect I’ll be too busy slapping on the paint to think about it. See you when I get back.
0 locks, 1 full water tank, 2 days shore leave, 1 side ready for winter, 4 bubbles, 1 prosc, 1 cabinet, 3 containers, 2.5 litres black, 1 ledge, 2 big bags, 1 fish and chips , 1 burger, 2 puddings, 1 blogger heading to work, 1 cat left in charge, 2 photos.
Sydney Wharf Bridge 188 to Murhill Straight to Avoncliffe Aqueduct
Having picked up all the bits I’d be needing next week we decided to move on today rather than staying put and then travelling in the rain tomorrow.
Dredging
Trimming back the brambles
The moorings had thinned out considerably, all the hire boats heading back towards their bases for a Friday morning return. C&RT were busy working on the new towpath. One chap sat dredging the canal and back filling behind the new armco whilst another two chaps were adding the coir sausages and securing them. Further on a team of volunteers were doing a great job of cutting back the undergrowth and brambles, making Bath look pretty again.
I hour between the posts, no water point, what could it be for?
Blue topped post
We trundled our way out of the city, so much space on the visitor moorings. At Bathampton there is a small stretch of 1 hour visitor moorings, possibly long enough for a 30-40ft boat, we wondered what it could be for. We also noticed more of the blue topped posts. These appear every now and then with other posts noting information, but they also appear on their own. Does anyone know what they are please?
Soon we were following a couple of hire boats, this would mean that if all went well the first boat would open the first swing bridge, letting the other boat through then us. At the second bridge the next boat would open it letting us through ahead of the pack therefore having first dibs on the moorings at Dundas Aqueduct.
Waiting to go through a swing bridge
The first bridge worked as hoped, even if the boat in front of us held back a long way before going through the bridge. We passed a mooring with a low towpath, suitable for painting, but passed it before we could make our minds up whether to stop or not. The second bridge was opened by a boat coming towards us, a shame in a way as I’d wanted to have a look in the little community shop.
A good weather vane
Approaching Dundas there were more boats than we’d remembered. On the west bank all the visitor moorings were full and as we turned the 90 degrees to face the aqueduct there was an Anglo Welsh boat pulling in on the last space on the other side. A few minutes earlier and it would have been ours, oh well, onwards.
Good Virginia Creeper
Round the next bend where a hire boat pull out just as our bow was level with their stern. When they noticed us they did apologise. Thank goodness they moved that bit quicker than the boat we’d followed along here the other day.
Paul, we may just get a whistle
Round the big bend and we decided to try to pull in. Bingo we got close to the side, this would do us. The back doors were opened and Tilly was given four and a half hours.
Big tree
Wow!!! Trees, loads of trees, all needing to be climbed. A bench. Friendly cover. The Perfect mooring. Well that was until Tom and She sat down for their dingding! No internet, none, zilch, no phone signal either. They weren’t happy. I didn’t care and headed off to explore, making the most of my hours.
I resigned myself to no internet, life can continue without it. So I set too on the starboard side gunnels, scrapping back loose paint, sanding it down a quick rinse and then applied some fertan. This side of the boat was in much better nick than the port side, most probably because I’d managed to paint it last autumn.
Mick walked up the towpath to see if he could find better signal. There was a touch further on where boats were moored, maybe we should move on.
A quick top up
We loitered for a while as Mick had spotted a coal boat heading our way. An empty gas bottle was brought out from the locker ready for replacement. NB Aquila pulled alongside, gas, 2 bags of coal and when we noticed the diesel price we had a top up of that too. 72p not to be missed.
I came back to see what was going on, a lady was feeding our boat. It was quite interesting so I decided to loiter for a while. But then She picked me up and bundled me back inside! Excuse me I still had another hour and a half!!
A mile marker recycled from rail track
A bit too far even if we were agile
We quickly pushed off, hoping for somewhere a little further on that might just have some signal of some sort. With phones in hand we pootled along an occasional noise suggesting signal. Here we would try pulling in, but the deep shelf made it next to impossible.
Onwards now getting close to our aimed mooring for the weekend. The visitor moorings before Avoncliffe Aqueduct had lovely rings and some bollards, but also a sign mentioning shallow margins. They were right about that, we couldn’t even get within three foot of the side, yes we’d need the gang plank, but to get off in the first place! We continued.
Avoncliff Aqueduct
Over the aqueduct round the bend there was a space. We pulled in a little out from the edge, but this would do us.
‘Sorry Tilly’. SORRY!!! I’d not finished in that outside, then you go and move it and take far too long doing so. Now that hour and a half had been left behind and by the time they’d finished tying this one up it was deemed too late!
Having the port side on a handy stretch of low towpath I quickly got a coat of primer on the bare bits of gunnel. This side won’t look pretty, but at least it’s one step closer to being protected for winter. Hopefully tomorrow the weather will hold long enough for me to get a coat of paint on it, we’ll see.
Signal here is a touch better, but not good enough for photos still. They’ll get added at a later date. Now done.
0 locks, 7.42 miles, 2 swing bridges, 2 moorings, 40kg coal, 1 gas bottle, 57.1 litres, 4.5 hours reduced to 3, 1 starboard side ready, 1 splish splash of primer, 1 annoying ledge, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.
Oleanna was rocking around a touch this morning due to loosened ropes, but the river looked like it had behaved itself overnight. A damp start to the morning, so we had tea in bed and hoped it would brighten up before we got to the locks. We didn’t want to be too early anyway hopping that we’d get some assistance from volunteers on our way up.
Approaching the lock landing on the river
At 10:15 we pushed off and headed for the bottom of the flight. With walkie talkies in hand I walked up to the bottom lock. A breasted up pair were just about to enter the lock to come down, masses of crew.
Hotel boats breasted up
It turned out to be the Bywater Hotel boat and butty, they were heading with their full compliment of guests to Bristol hoping to stop for the night on route. They may be lucky and time their arrival at Keynsham to grab the space on the pontoon that would be vacated by a hire boat today.
No need to radio to Mick there was plenty of time to signal to him what was happening. They were soon down and the lock was all ours and we’d timed it just right to have both volunteers lend us a hand. One chap stayed with us whilst the other walked up to Bath Deep Lock to open the gates and then head up to the next lock to let some water down so that we wouldn’t empty the pound in between.
A couple of bike riders came and asked lots of questions about how the locks worked etc. They then decided to follow us up to the Deep Lock.
Going in
The gates had been wound open enough for a narrowboat to enter, but no more. Each gate takes 120 turns to open it fully. I was grateful as I did the closing. From the instructions I’d been given the other day I knew using a rope wouldn’t be a good idea, but Mick had already passed the centre line round a riser. The Lockies joined us and explained how the lock would work, which I then conveyed to Mick via the radio. All well and good being told not to use a rope but then having a paddle lifted before you could get it back from the riser was a touch annoying. As Oleanna rose Mick flicked the rope upwards on the riser and then had to fight to get it loose at the top.
Water coming in at the side
The effect of the paddles was as they had suggested. Using the paddle on the opposite side of the lock to your boat has the effect of holding it to the side, the water comes out from four points along the side of the chamber. Then as the level rises the stern starts to cross over, this is when the other paddle is lifted to compensate.
Get out of the WAY!!!
I was hoping to get some good photos but our friendly cyclists had come along to watch also, standing right in front of me! As nice as their cycle helmets were I’d rather have got a few photos of Oleanna.
Just about there
The Lockies helped us up the rest of the flight. The off side paddle in the forth lock up however refused to shut. No matter what the Lockie did it wanted to stay up by a good foot. In the end we closed the gates and could see what the problem was. The rod that leads from the paddle gear to the actual paddle should run through a bracket which is fixed to the gate. This bracket is made up of two pieces shaped so that the rod passes in between them. The outer part of the bracket was lost and the rod had slipped behind the one still attached to the gate, here it was jamming.
It should be like this
But was missing a bit, at least like this it wasn’t jammed
Mick used a boat hook to nudge it over and it was free again, but still not in front of the bracket. It would work for us, but how long before it would jam again? The Lockie said he would pass it on to the local team. A quick stop off to dispose of rubbish in the next pound. It is so nice having a full compliment of recycling bins. Just a shame boaters still just leave bags for someone else to put in the right bin!
We’d chanced coming this far as we hoped there would be space for us before the next bridge. No spaces were immediately obvious, so we loitered on the lock landing hoping. Tilly peered out the windows willing someone to move! Right at the far end there was a space so we took it. The lure of the steps to the road meant Tilly was still locked inside, she stared some more.
Wall and trees!
Feline power eventually worked and the boat behind us moved off, we pulled back knowing that the trees alongside would be more appealing than the steps now. Freedom!!! At long last!!! Trees, smells, walls, friendly cover and ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies again. All was right with the world. I even got a fresh pooh box too!
A contented tip
Time to dig out my scenic brushes. Check them over and see if I needed anything else before we left Bath. This meant lifting the rear steps off thier brackets to access the cupboard below the Alde boiler. The wine cellar hadn’t been restocked yesterday with this job in mind. Blimey there must have been a whole Tilly’s worth of fur down there along with three mice, 1 fish and a bedoingy ball (all cat toys).
Brushes
The advantage of getting my brush bag out was being able to see the back of the boiler and check things over. Something was leaking a touch, water not gas, a damp patch around a hose going through a shelf. Mick was called in and he tightened things up hoping that this would do the job.
Steps back in position the cellar could be stocked with wine and cat food again. After hearing of two people falling from the back deck whilst their steps have been out this year it was nice to get them back in and safe. I made a list of things that would be handy to have when painting Panto and headed into town.
Regency facebook being checked
Parts of town were blocked off, a regency drama was being filmed. A chap sat at the front of a carriage looking at his mobile waiting for his queue to move, the horse patiently waiting too. Looking in from further round it looked like market stalls had been set up with a lot of fabric everywhere. It all looked a touch cheap to me, but maybe film cameras alter things, or maybe it’s just a cheap production.
Oh well!
I managed to time my shopping well, everything bought that I needed and the rather nice looking wool shop having closed before I got there.
6 locks, 2nd deepest, 1.23 miles, 2 volunteers, 1 river left, 1 clean pooh box, 1 clean pooh bucket, £1.53 card, 0 wool, 500 grams brown rice flour, 5 new brushes, 1 cheap compass, 1 film crew, 1 location lock down, 1 clean and tidy cellar, 1 happy cat.
Ferris Railway Bridge to Green Park Visitor Moorings, Bath
Not wanting to get stuck on a rising river for days we needed to move. As we had breakfast the rain hammered it down outside, even more reason to get moving! We don’t know how the Avon reacts to rainfall, is it a quick rise in level or a slow one that can sneak up on you, or does it just about stay constant unless there is a lot of rain.
Off we go
Mick checked Gauge map, the levels had gone up a bit but it looked okay for us to leave the pontoon. With full waterproofs on we rolled back the covers and got going, the rain starting to ease.
Swineford Lock the weir on the left behind the lock landing
At Swineford Lock the weir was gushing, it had been a bit like this on Saturday, just a bit more so today. I looked around below the lock for a levels board to see if we were in the green/amber/red. But there was no board to be seen. The river level above the lock looked like it was up by a couple of inches as I could see where the usual line was below the surface. On most rivers a rise of this much would bring it into amber, but hopefully not red.
Blue skies!
The rain started to come and go, bright sunshine lulled us into removing our coats and waterproof trousers.
Hardly a trickle on Saturday over this weir
The weir at Kelston Lock on Saturday had hardly been flowing, today it was matching the others lower down stream.
One of two spotted today
Weston Lock took forever to fill due to there being only one paddle working, the other wrapped in a plastic bag. The weir was running fast and it looked like the flood gate was slightly lifted too.
Slowly
Once we’d got to within a couple of feet from the top of the lock we both got distracted by our phones. Two boats headed towards us but winded through the next bridge, then the bow of a hire boat appeared, I’d be able to leave the gates for them.
Dark clouds gathering behind
It was lunchtime. Should we take advantage of the sunnier weather and work up the locks. Should we pull in near to Sainsburys and have lunch, Mick needing some bread. The decision was made for us as the rain clouds burst again over head. Coats quickly back on and we made our way to the 48hr mooring nearest to Sainsburys.
No need to water the plants today
No rings or bollards to tie to here, just a fence which is just at the right height to give you a soggy crutch. Mick headed off for a few supplies and returned with vouchers we would have to use. 3 x nectar points and if we spent £100 we’d get an extra 2000 points, we decided to stay put for the day and go and do a big shop that we needed to do anyway.
My new sour dough loaf was mixed and left to rise for an hour and a half then baked. The smell from the oven so yummy. Once it was out of the oven cooling and the news had finished we headed to stock up with shopping. Four boxes of wine brought the bill to over £100, but the check out didn’t want to accept the voucher, assistance was needed. The chap tried several times but failed, he just gave us the points manually in the end.
Oat and Chestnut bread and chocolate chip cookies. Who says gluten free is dull
As we ate our evening meal a batch of chocolate chip cookies went in the oven. I’d made the mixture a few days ago in case we had any visitors, now it was needing to be cooked. The smell through the boat meant we just had to have one each for pudding. Yummy!
This morning I noticed a natty little thing on the ferry that crosses from our mooring to the SS Great Britain. On the bow of the boat is a metal hoop which pivots, controlled by a cable from the helm. As the ferry is brought in and lined up to the jetty the metal hoop is lowered over a post. The driver then walks to the bow flips down the ramp which covers the watery gap, passengers get off or on, she then flips the ramp back up returns to the helm and lifts the hoop off the post and away they go. This means that the ferry can be a one person operation as nobody is needed to tie ropes. Here’s a link to a video I took of it this morning (warning it’s 35MB!).
A close up of the bridge
Two more loads of washing were put through the machine, hoping to use up some more electric before we left. This helped pass the time whilst I composed a long email to the theatre in Vienna with photos of the model for A Regular Little Houdini. With the final rinses happening we headed to the nearby Tesco for a few supplies and then we were ready for the off.
About to cast off
Once the ropes were carefully untied from the wobbliest wobblesome pontoon, the wind helping to push Oleanna away from it, we winded and set off for a little tour of the harbour before we left.
Still westward bound
Down towards the Underfall Yard where we turned, mow eastward bound.
Rigging on the SS Great Britain
We headed back past the SS Great Britain, we then cruised down past the electric cranes and turned into Bordeaux Quay and The Waterfront winding at the far end before then passing under Prince Street Bridge, leaving the harbour.
A concrete boat having a house built on top
We would have liked to stay for longer but sadly time is limited before I start work and the cost of mooring here is a little off putting. A week would cost us around £160, cheaper than a hotel and we’d get all our washing done, but still a touch costly.
Straight through Netham Lock
As we cruised our way out of town storm clouds gathered behind us. Waterproofs were gathered from inside. Straight through Netham Lock and we were back onto the river. Gradually more trees surrounded us, gradually the sky became darker. The forecast originally had been for rain at 4, then 2, but it got started at midday. We hoped for a mooring as soon as we got back onto C&RT waters.
Starting to rain
Hanham Lock was in our favour so we rose the 15 inches or so. There was a space on the pontoon at The Chequers Pub, but we’d have had to shrink a touch to fit. Onwards in the rain, waterproof trousers were now required. Mick valiantly stood at the helm whilst I made tea and lunch to have on the go, but his sandwich stayed inside for fear it would get too soggy.
Keynsham Lock and some kind sole had left the top paddles open, so this very slow lock took even longer in the rain than it needed to. Mick hung back away from the lock whilst I emptied it, the flow from the lock would have necessitated mooring up fully on the lock landing. Then we rose slowly, very slowly. The last 2 foot taking a life time !
?
It still rained. Not even an inch spare on the pontoon here. Onwards to Ferris Railway Bridge where thank goodness there was space for two next to the one that had taken up residency. We settled down and started to dry off.
There was just enough phone signal for me to have a chat through the props list for Panto with Jo the prop maker. Good job I don’t really use my phone much as it took us a good hour and a half to work our way through the show. Jo will start work on collecting materials in the next week then she’ll start by making the prop car and mod scooters.
This morning I received photos from Australia of the knitting project I was busy with earlier in the year.
Billie at 1 week old
This is Billie at a week old with the blanket I knitted for her. Billie is the great niece of my bestest friend Emma. Nellie, Billies Mum, was very pleased with it, so was Chief their woofer.
Dad and Chief look on
3 locks, 1 straight through, 11.41 miles, 2 more loads washing, £3 left on the post, 1 tour of the harbour, 2 misleading forecasts, 2 soggy boaters, 3rd mooring lucky, 1.5 hours talking smash, pub stools and mod scooters, 0 shore leave for Tillyagain!1 sour dough woken, 1wk old Billie all wrapped up.
Torrential rain woke me at 3am hammering on the roof trying to get in. I checked all the windows were closed and climbed back into bed. By 3:30 the outside world had calmed down so sleeping could continue.
Saturday paper on a Sunday
No alarm clock, we had a lie in and enjoyed a cuppa and the Saturday newspaper in bed. It’s been a while.
A quick tidy and brush up, another load of washing and we were ready.
Two giggling 52 year old teenagers walked down the side of the boat. I knew exactly who they were.
Rachael, Charlotte and Pip
Charlotte and Rachael two of my old school friends from York. Charlotte is a teacher and lives in Bristol and Rachael runs a plant nursery near Malvern. These two ladies were Goths back in the 80’s. They wore black head to toe and had spiky hair, where as I wore all red and occasionally crimped my hair.
They had a good look round Oleanna and met Tilly, although she’d rather have gone out! Then we headed to Wetherspoons for some lunch and a drink. There was lots to catch up on, poor Mick coped very well.
Old friends
I last saw Charlotte at my 40.5 birthday party. We used to keep in touch until we moved onto the boat, then Charlotte moved house several times around Bristol and we lost touch. I luckily found her on Whatsap a couple of weeks ago. Rachael on the other hand I hadn’t seen since we left school. She went off to train as a Stage Manager, performed in a circus act and lived on a coach in Sheffield for a while. She then worked at Askam Bryan, an agricultural college near York, and now designs gardens for people.
Several life times have passed, we caught up on gossip of friends all across the globe. It was a very lovely afternoon with them. We hope to all meet up again when we reach Birmingham at the beginning of next year.
THE Green boat that’s made the headlines recently
There was still enough daylight to go for a walk and help wear off the lunchtime drinking. So Mick and I decided to walk round the harbour to see what else there was to see.
Some of the harbour
By the 1760’s Bristol had become such a popular port for cargo ships it was struggling to accommodate all the ships. In 1765 the idea of a floating none tidal harbour was put forward by engineer John Smeaton. But no progress was made until 1790 and by 1802 William Jessop was engaged to come up a scheme. He put together various ideas from earlier proposals.
Colourful
The River Avon was dammed at Rownham and at the bottom of Totterdown Hill, near Temple Meads, impounding all the water of the Avon and Frome between these points. A weir at Netham controlled the level of the Harbour water, channelling water along a Feeder Canal and allowing excess to spill back into the tidal river Avon. A half tide basin was constructed with locks to the river and the harbour.
Curved lock gates
We walked down to the River Avon past Junction Lock, Cumberland Basin (the half tide basin) to Entrance Lock which takes vessels down onto the tidal river.
Blimey it’s high up
Standing between the lock and the weir we could look down the valley towards the River Severn, Clifton Suspension Bridge sitting high above everything. Lines of coloured houses brightened up the greying skies.
Spot the ball
A pool under the Plimsole Swing Bridge was playing host to teams playing Canoe Polo, highly energetic and wet.
Mick controlling the harbour level
At Underfall Yard there is a museum where models demonstrate how the level of the floating harbour is kept constant and how they scour out the silt that collects. Notice boards around the harbour warn you of days and times that this process takes place.
4 fingers and a thumb
Pretty boat
Plenty of boats are moored up, some with all the services and other with little other than a ladder to gain access to your boat. Past the Harbour Masters building and along the south side of the harbour.
The sun managed to come out
A clock tower on a 1920’s building glowed in the late sunshine against the bright blue sky. Down the side of the building at the end of an alleyway an alarm box had been put to artistic purpose.
A Banksy
Banksy in 2014 painted his version of Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earing. This is called the Girl with a Pierced Ear. The spatters and dribbles make this piece, we did wonder if the central heating flue had been added after the girl was painted or before.
Broken down sign
No sign of Wallace
Signs of the Bristol Old Vic Scenic Workshop and Aardman Animation. Theatre and Wallace and Gromit close neighbours.
Peeking over the fence
We’d considered visiting the SS Great Britain, now it was too late in the day and the £17 entrance fee put us off. Instead we looked at the stern through the fence for free, not quite the same as going round, but considerably cheaper!
There is a bit of road in there somewhere
From here railway lines criss and cross what was the docks.
Electric cranes all lined up
Four electric cranes still stand at the waters edge, the only remainers of the 40 that had existed in the 1950s. What a different place this would have been 70 years ago. No museums cafes and bars then.
Mirror ball
We crossed back over to the north bank on Prince Street Bridge then over Peros Bridge and towards Millenium Square. Here cascading water sculptures reminded us of Sheffield station.
The biggest mirror ball gave me opportunities to take our photos before we looked at the electric generating tree. Below this you can charge your phone whilst enjoying the aroma of the rosemary bushes as a statue of Cary Grant watches you. Millenium Parade brought us back to the boat for some play time with Tilly.
Energy tree
Rosemary phone charger
The cruiser that had been moored near us had left, so we decided to give the other boat left on the moorings a bit more space. We pushed over to the next pontoon, which was one of the wobbliest I’ve ever tried walking on, more like a fairground ride than somewhere safe to tie up to. The wind blew Oleanna away as I clung onto the centre line, Mick waiting for me to pass it back to tie us up. I stayed put trying to keep my balance until we were tied up, reducing the number of sides I could fall off to one.
Cary Grant apparently
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 old friends, 2 much to catch up on, 3 burgers, 1 quinoa salad, 1 portion of halloumi fries, 1 Punk IPA, 1 Swift 1, 1 wine, 1 coffee, 5 mile walk, 4 cranes, £17!! 1 tide out, 1 more day without friends, 1 boat almost blown away, 40ft of wobbliest wobblyness.
Sydney Wharf Bridge 188 to Brunel Quay Visitor Moorings
First things first a newspaper! At the bridge behind us there was a Tesco so that was an easy find. Breakfasted and ready to go just gone 8:30am. We had quite a few hours cruising to do today, so no languishing in bed with the paper.
Sharing with plenty of crew
As we rolled back the covers a Sally Hire boat came past with a crew of far too many chaps to ignore. If we could share with them it should make our trip down to the river a lot easier. I checked they were happy to share and we pulled in alongside them.
Chin wagging at the back
We were joining a group of chaps from Margate Rotary Club who’d come out for the weekend. They had missed winding further back this morning and were in two minds as whether to carry on down the locks to the river or find a suitable place to wind. They had to do the first two locks no matter what. As we progressed down the locks more and more people kept coming out of their boat, just how many of them were there?! Eight and someone else was joining them today.
Following another hire boat down we all had to pause when it came to Bath Deep Lock. This is the second deepest lock on the network and has only a short pound above it. By now a couple of volunteer Lockies had arrived and with local knowledge they suggested that the boat in front of us should wait until the Deep Lock had finished filling before leaving the lock above, this would save them grounding.
Winding and winding
I’ve been finding the low geared paddles a pain, so have started to stand in front of the gate to wind them away from myself, I find this a lot easier. The volunteer wasn’t happy with this and told me off. I understood his concerns that I might step back and off the side of the lock, but I was very much aware of this and was just avoiding giving myself numerous bruises.
They’re such a long way down
A single hander was coming up, so the volunteer was kept busy. Locks were swapped, then we helped the single hander up the lock in front of us. A do-si-do of boats and we were in the lock waiting to go down, pausing whilst a boat came into the Deep Lock to come up, therefore they could use our water.
Winding winding winding the gates open
Another do-si-do and we were in the Deep Lock ready to go down. I know we are more than likely to come back up on our own so let the chaps from the hire boat do all the winding of the paddles followed by the winding of the bottom gates. Meanwhile I chatted with the Lockie to get tips on how to ascend the lock should there not be anyone around to assist. We’ll see if his method works when we come back.
Last lock with the chaps
120 turns of a windlass later the bottom gates were open and there was only one more lock. We said our goodbyes to the chaps as we’d be heading downstream, the chaps still had to make their minds up as to what they were doing. Hope the rest of their weekend was good and that they don’t get too wet tomorrow.
Our locking partners to the right
Down on the river, back in a wide watery world. Here boats were moored where ever they could cling to the bank. We still had several locks to pass through and quite a few miles to cover, so on we pressed. A little wooden boat with a one cylinder petrol engine joined us for a few locks. A hire boat with helpful crew wound the paddles up to empty the lock before even looking to see if the boats were ready. The helpful chap really wanted me to climb down the ladder to get back on board, but I don’t do ladders unless I really have to, due to my grip. He kept insisting, but he was never going to win, our boats could just swap over below the lock, far easier than fishing me out of the water.
A good vantage point
Our tiny locking partners moored up by a pub they’d not tried before and left us on our own. The next lock Keynsham was being emptied by a group of lads, they were bringing two cruisers up. Blimey the lock took forever to fill, we seemed to be there for an absolute age before the top gates could be forced open.
The last lock of the K&A
A few more meanders and occasional views and we’d reached Lock 1 of the Kennet and Avon, Hanham Lock. Here you leave C&RT waters and enter Bristol City Docks water. The next stretch to Netham Lock is tidal water, but currently the tides are not high enough to come over the weir. Mick called ahead so that the Lockie at Netham knew we were on our way.
Inflatables and swimmers
There is no mooring along this stretch, but plenty of people were out enjoying the water, paddle boarders and swimmers. We passed a slow widebeam as we gradually left the greenery behind and more urban surroundings took over.
The Lock Keepers house
At Netham Lock we pulled in, as instructed to do by the big sign, and walked to the office. Two nights please. We handed over our money and in return were handed a sticker for our window and given a map showing us where we could moor in the floating harbour.
Netham Lock 1000 miles this year
A quick check of mileage today and as we came through Netham Lock, we had achieved our thousandth mile this year!
Oleanna smiling
Forty Five more minutes of cruising to reach the harbour. Big boats, small boats, boats that might bite, boats with sails.
Wiggly Bridge
Bridges, winding, high and low.
People, loads and loads of people all out enjoying the sunshine, possibly the last we’ll see for a while.
Matthew
Our first option to moor after Prince Street Bridge had space but the number of people sat on walls, dangling their feet in the water put us off. Here is known to be noisy on weekends so we pressed on to Brunel Quay. Here there is no security gate, but finger pontoons. The area was very busy still, but we decided to pull in and make use of the electric hook up and water point at each mooring.
Not a bad view, of people sitting round the pump out machine
Once tied up we checked the credit on the post 22p, 15p went on the first load of washing, good job we’d bought some more credit. We settled in, Tilly was shown that the outside was not for her, but she didn’t take ‘NO’ for an answer and tried to clamber out through the side hatch! There’s only so much sleeping a cat can do!
BRISTOL!!!!
Mick popped to the nearby Tescos and spotted a sign saying that the bar we were moored in front of would be closing at 4pm for a wedding party. Maybe we’d made a mistake in our choice of mooring.
At around 6pm there was a lot of singing.. A LOT! A trip boat pulled in to the moorings close to us and the singing got even louder. This was the wedding party! Damn, we’d just added £5 to the electric post.
Noisy
The singing stopped for about half an hour, then for the remainder of the evening a chap with a guitar led them all singing Britpop hits, maybe it was Noel Gallagher. We thought about going out to enjoy the warm evening and get away from the singing, but we were both a touch pooped after the last couple of days and a long day on the river. Noel turned his mic off shortly after 10:30 and the general party noise gradually subsided.
13 locks, 1 sailed straight through, 17.86 miles, 1002.83 miles so far this year, 8 extra crew, 0 darlings, 2 locking partners, 8 hours cruising, 1 canal finished, 2 loads washing, £5 to get through, 50 grams short, 2 nights, £59, 2 high for painting, 1990’s relived.
Another day on the trains for Mick, heading to York for our friend Mickle’s funeral. Tilly and I stayed put, two train fares would have been too much or hiring a car too far to drive there and back in a day. Mick left suitably attired in a baseball cap, apparently there were lots of remarks that everyone should have worn one. It was a very rare sight, Mickle without his cap on.
Can I really go out?
Tilly’s mornings for the last couple of months have consisted of sleeping whilst we move the outside, so it wasn’t until Mick was about to leave that she realised that the back door was open for her. At two hour intervals she returned as requested.
Puss in Boots needed some attention this morning, lists, contacting the set builders and prop maker. I’ll be heading off to do a weeks painting soon so needed to check that supplies were on order and how my accommodation would work.
Then I revisited my Houdini model. Various ideas had been chatted about yesterday and extra details like the blue doughnuts needed to be added. Monday is the first deadline for the design, I need to send photos to Vienna and hopefully get the thumbs up from them.
Sneaky peek of the model
Mid afternoon I needed to leave some glue to dry, so instead of sitting watching it I decided to go for an explore. Tilly returned home so was left in charge. Friday is obviously a day when most hire boats are returning to base as the moorings here were just about empty and not that many boats passed all day.
I walked down to the lock, crossed the bridge and headed up to the road above. Straight on was a footpath, so I followed it up the hill. A kissing gate and National Trust sign invited me into Bathwick Fields, I’d stumbled onto the Bath Skyline walk without knowing it.
Pretty good views from up here
Within minutes of leaving the boat I was high above Bath with fantastic views across the city. The curve of the railway, the spires of the churches and the Bath stone rows of houses lined up along the hills.
Bath
I dipped down to an orchard where you could pick the fruit, but sadly I didn’t have long enough arms to be able to reach the top most branches, everything else had long since been picked.
Community Nuttery
Across more fields alongside Jacob Sheep and many squirrels busy collecting nuts. Maybe they had emptied the nuttery I came across. A road that led to Smallcombe Garden Cemetery. For £3 a decent burial could be afford by artisans as well as rich Victorians, over 7000 of them until the plot was full. In 2014 the Heritage Lottery Fund gave support to preserve the cemetery and you are invited to look round the grave stones for locals who left their mark on Bath.
One of two chapels
Up through another field, I seemed to be walking in the opposite direction to every one else, but then I didn’t know I was on a recognised walk. The path led further up hill and by now my glue would be dry and I wanted to return home. Eventually there was a gate not marked as PRIVATE and I started my steep descent back down to Bath, then back up the locks to the boat.
Cemetery
An evening of worked followed which actually finished ten minutes before Mick stepped back on the boat at around 11:30pm. A Regular Little Houdini is now ready to see what the producers in Vienna think on Monday, fingers crossed.
Lines of Bath stone
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 miles walked, 4 trains, 3 tubes, 1 bus, 1 final farewell, 1 cap and guitar, 1 weeks work sorted, 3rd props list, 1 sad gits tea, 1 plant pot headed statue, 1 not 2 bottles of wine, 7 hours shore leave, 1 long day for everyone.
