Nantwich Embankment

No ice visible today and temperatures were definitely heading in the upward direction. This however brought with it rain, which at least pleased Tilly and meant that her freshly laundered towels got christened with paw prints. The fat ball in the tree was very popular today with visits from Robins, Great Tits and Blue Tits, they did however keep away whilst Tilly was out and about!

Once the rain had passed over we ventured into town to stock back up on fresh veg and fruit. A joint of pork also somehow managed to make it into our trolley for Sunday dinner! Holland and Barrett provided me with some Buckwheat flour so that I can have a go at making some gluten free hot cross buns. Last year I didn’t get round to making any, mostly to do with having a broken ankle and now the highly expensive small amount of buckwheat flour is long past it’s use by date. I just have to sus out a way to balance a baking tray on my proving shelf as the recipe I have needs three lots of proving.

Back at Oleanna I had a go at cooking the shoulder of pork in my cast iron pot on top of the stove. The Great British Chefs website came up with some advice on roasting and getting crackling. Half an hour in the oven on high to get the crackling going, then pop the lid on and turn the oven down for at least two hours, six even better. Translated to stove top boat cooking, I popped it in the oven for the half hour, then after adding a drop or two of wine, had to wrestle with the joint to get the lid on the pot before sitting it on top of the stove for four hours. Our Great British Chefs seem to have been able to retain their crackling despite cooking the joint in a cocotte (cast iron pot to you and me). For us the joint had to come out of the pot and join the roast veg for twenty minutes in the top oven to return it’s crackle. In the end it turned out very tasty and saved having the main oven on for four hours using gas and creating condensation.

Work on my next knitting project (now mark two!) has gone much better, since I bothered to mark out a pattern on paper. Hopefully in a day or two it will be finished.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 walk into town, 2 bags of flour, 1.5kg pork joint,150grams cranberries, 1 apple, 2nd episode, 7 inches knitted, 1 owy ankle, 50 minutes gas 8, 4 hours gas 0, 4 hours free cooking, 1 damp happy cat.

Nantwich Embankment

It’s continued to be cold here in Nantwich, so we have mostly been tucked up inside Oleanna keeping warm. Watching the news and seeing what has been happening around the country makes us feel like we’ve missed all the fun. Huge amounts of snow and snow drifts have missed us, the snow having been deposited before it reached our part of the country. We’ve had a few feeble flutterings of snow and the most that has hung around has been an inch in the shadows.

The wind has been freezing and gusty, but I’m glad we didn’t get the foam (link) that engulfed Foreshore Road in Scarborough. Seeing images of the high waves crashing over the harbour walls and flooding along the seafront (link) along with tales of friends battling their way home from work across Yorkshire have made us feel very lucky to have been where we are, only have a bit of ice to contend with. Boaters up and down the country have been iced in to a greater extent than us. NB Alton, the coal boat on the Macclesfield, has had to postpone their usual fortnightly run as the ice on the Macc was just far too thick at 3 inches for them to break through, so they are delivering by road to keep people going until they can reach them by water again. Even parts of the Llangollen have frozen over.

The ice alongside Oleanna on Friday was well and truly broken up by a hire boat heading back to Norbury Junction. First I knew of it was when huge rumbling noises made me look out of the window to see the large sheet of ice, that had been knocking at our hull all night, zoom past! It was nice when they decided to slow their pace just after they’d passed us! With the ice now broken up that bit more another boat reversed to the water point where they seemed to vanish. Maybe they were sunk by an iceberg? Or reversed into the Nantwich Triangle never to be seen again! Who knows, but they certainly didn’t return in our direction.

With the temperatures starting to rise the likelihood of the cut freezing over again was slim so we decided to treat ourselves to showers on board, the tank was still above three quarters full, so we could risk it. It was nice to be clean again without having had to swill down the showers across the way.

Saturday morning arrived and we woke to the canal seemingly having returned to water. Ice was still congregated by the bridge behind us, but this was far enough away to be safe for Tilly to go out. I’d already come to the same conclusion hours before hand, they were so slow at opening up those doors for me!  Tilly made the most of gaps between woofers running around like a total loon, pouncing on none existent friends, leaping into the air and scurrying up and down the embankment. At least all this activity kept her warm!

Late morning we had a tap on the roof, Jaq from NB Valerie. We had a lovely couple of hours chatting about our cruising lives. This lady smelt quite nice, so I offered my photographic skills to take a picture of them all from my shelf. Came out quite well.

Over the last four years (almost) we have crossed bows with plenty of bloggers, NB Valerie several times. But usually we’ve been on a bit of a mission, heading somewhere, trying to keep up the cruising hours to reach our next destination for someone’s birthday or a booked passage, so we’ve not often had chance to stop and spend time meeting people. So it has been lovely to have some time to start to get to know Jaq. After the weekend, if the weather stays good, our bows will cross again, heading in different directions, maybe not to cross again for sometime, but that is boating life.

Now that we are no longer embedded in ice, Jaq had a tip for our blog. It seems that having had the ‘Embedded’ box ticked in the settings for comments meant that not everyone could comment on the blog, Jaq, Ali and Les (an old BT colleague of Mick’s) having had difficulty recently. The box has now been unticked, so hopefully commenting will now be possible for all.

0 locks, 0 miles, 8 towels and 4 t-towels washed, 1 speeding ice breaking hire boat, 1 vanished boat, 2 bananas and 200gms chocolate, 1 sock, 1 feline knitting failed, 1 pattern drawn up for next attempt, 1 Jaq, 2 squeaky clean boaters, 4 paws on terra firma.

Nantwich Embankment

Every morning we wake up and peek out of the porthole behind our bed to check on the water status. Despite being a bit chilly in bed last night the water was still very fluid around us. It must be that with little tree cover and bright sunshine the last few days that the canal warms up in the sunlight and holds it’s heat. Today however we woke to a snow shower, not very deep but enough to put Tilly off exploring until the sun had melted it.

After a cooked breakfast (photo for Mr Carley’s benefit today), we decided to head into town to top up on food supplies. Fresh things mainly. If the weather forecast for this week is correct we will be in for a few days of not wanting to venture off the boat. We also wanted to equip ourselves with some means of being able to carry water. No containers around town that we could fill and keep to top up the water tank, so we purchased a couple of cheap buckets instead. These at least will be useful for other things in future and will sit inside one another taking up little space. All we needed now was a funnel so as not to loose a drop whilst filling the tank. The chandlers came up trumps.

The diesel pump opposite was busy filling containers for much of the day and a handful of boats moved past bringing with them slushy flat icebergs. The canal was starting to freeze, just not alongside us.

During the afternoon I continued with my sock knitting and Mick debated whether to walk to the service block for a shower or to move the boat. Snow showers had come and gone all day bringing with them strong gusts of wind, not good to reverse in without a bow thruster. But the showers haven’t been cleaned for about a week and the floor in there is ever so muddy! In the end it seemed daft not to top up our water tank if we could move. Mick checked that the water point tap still worked, which it did, then when we had enough hot water on board we both had showers in the late afternoon.

Tilly obliged by being on board so we pushed off and reversed to the water point as the sun was starting to set. As we pulled along side the service block we could see that straight lines had started to form in the canal, very thin ice. Would we be the last boat to move before the canal froze? With the tank and two milk containers full of water (to rinse the yellow water tank out next time) we pushed back over to the moorings and settled down in front of the stove.

The evening got colder and colder outside. A draught across our knees puzzled us for a while until we realised that it was cold air coming in from a mushroom vent directly above us. Nothing much we can do about that as ventilation is very important in a boat. A blanket on our knees may well do the trick though.

0 locks, 0.14 miles, 1 reverse, 7 snow showers, 1 dusting, 1 full water tank, 1 almost sunk bottle of water, 1 freezer full, 1 fridge full, 1 fruit bowl nearly full, 2 buckets, 1 funnel, 1 clean shaven chin, 2 showers, 1 pair of Pip socks complete, 4 years of cones, 1 traffic island!

Nantwich to Nantwich

Tilly had obviously made her point to Lowkey yesterday as she had free run of the towpath between walkers and woofers this morning, it is a busy stretch.

Quite a few boats were on the move, some share boats, others we assume were weekend boaters making the move back to their moorings after breakfast.

On his way back from the service block Mick had spotted a coal boat so had flagged them down. We’ve not come across NB Effingham before, their timing was good for a small top up of coal before NB Halsall comes through next week. If the temperatures plummet as they are forecast to, then even the coal boats may have difficulty moving. Although they do try to deliver by van where they can, little stops them, which is why they are such a valued asset to the system. With a buffer of three bags of Excell on our roof we could relax knowing that we’ll be warm for the next three weeks.

With quite a few boats moving a space on the embankment had shown itself, the end spot within easy reversing distance to the services. Tilly was home, it was time to move! We quickly pushed off, pootled through the bridge and pulled in at the services to top up the tank. Having had the heating on for a while this morning there was hot water, so whilst we filled Oleanna up I had a quick shower on board. By the time I was dressed again Mick was already coiling back up the hose. So as soon as my shoes were on my feet we pushed off and moored up at the end of the embankment moorings, there’s more sky here.

This outside has a few trees. Not easy ones to climb as they have sideways trees growing up them. This is more of a challenge, which I like. From the branches I can look down on the woofers walking by without them knowing where I am. There are also lots of holes for me to stick my arms in and dig through the soft soily mounds. It’s going to be good here. Tilly was out for much of the afternoon, returning for a snooze every now and then, A good outside can be exhausting!

We had a wonder over to the Launderette, suspect we’ll be bringing a large bag of washing over tomorrow so that we can save our water. The rest of the day we enjoyed the bright sunshine heating up Oleanna. I washed off the mud that had built up on the stern and bow and watched steam rising from the gunnels as it dried almost instantaneously.

Maps were put on the table  and we had a cruise planning session for the first half of this year. There are various dates when we want to be in certain places, visitors (yes, you Duncan!), birthdays, cricket, a play, a wedding, a train and appointments. They are all possible and we may not have to go through Worcester too many times either!

My plans for a pot roast chicken this evening were scuppered as the chicken that came with our shopping was far too big for my cast iron pot, so we enjoyed a conventional roast chicken instead.

0 locks, 0.15 miles, 3 bags coal, 1 full water tank, 1.6kg too big, 4 exhausted paws, 1 ivy clad tree slightly worse for Tilly, 3rd sock attempt a good one, 5 months almost planned, 2 made to measure hearth rugs photographed, 1 mooring in pole position but too far for our hoses.

Nantwich

A sunny morning to explore my new estate. They keep saying we might be here for a while if the canal goes solid. I have my own picnic bench and they have been suggesting that maybe we should have a barbecue one evening. It however is a bit too chilly on my bum for that.

So I was minding my own business making sure I’d marked everything as being mine, doing my best to fend off the masses of passing woofers and succeeding at this mostly, when I turn round and there was a trespasser! What was he doing? This is my estate! He’s certainly not having my bench!!!!!

I sat down under MY bench and sat my ground. He sat down too. We sat and avoided looking straight at each other for what could have been days. The non stare zone was strong, who would give in first? Certainly not me!

People walked by with their woofers and still we sat. ‘Ah look at the sweet kitties’ Sweet my …….. if he comes near my bench! Still we sat, the zone stronger still. Then this man arrived, ‘No fighting you two!’ He walked into the zone and broke it! Go away, we were doing just fine until you came along!

Because the bond between us was broken he started to back away slooowly, I started to regain my estate, slooowly. This was all going to end well in my favour. If I was lucky I might end up with a second picnic bench. but the stupid man kept trying to stroke us, couldn’t he see we were involved in some serious feline negotiations, things started to get edgy.

That is when Tom appeared, trying to pick me up. Nothing for it, the sloooow careful negotiations were on the rocks and our time was running out. Nothing for it but to speed everything up. Arched back, mohican fur, chimney sweep tail, side ways running put into action. Just a shame that my arched back made it easier for Tom to pick me up!

Tilly was returned to the boat so as to avoid any possible vets bills. She certainly seemed to have the upper paw in the situation. But now he was strutting his stuff around under my bench, even daring to sidle up to my hatch! For the next hour or so Tilly ran from window to window keeping a close eye on her new neighbour. He had been here before her, so she had most probably been stealing his estate.

Mick had done the paper run on a bike first thing and had had a look around the Farmers Market that is held every last Saturday in Nantwich. He returned with a pork pie for himself and a parsnip quiche for me which was very tasty. With Tilly safely indoors, we decided to make the most of the beautiful sunny afternoon and go for a stroll. Knowing that Jaq from NB Valerie had been moored on the embankment this week we decided to see if she was still there so that we could finally introduce ourselves.

Almost at the winding hole was sat a dark green boat with solar panels catching the sunlight. We tapped on the roof and could hear stirrings from inside. Jaq’s head popped out from the bow doors and when we said who we were a smile quickly crept across her face. We were invited in out of the cold for a cuppa and a long chat. When you follow peoples blogs you know all that they are willing to tell of their lives, you know what they look like and certainly with us you know what we like to eat! At last we could put a voice to Jaq. It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, thank you for your warm welcome.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 happy cat, 2 not so happy cats, 1 newspaper, 2 pies, 2 puddings, 0 juice, 1 item listed, 1st stages of etsy done, 1 hour stand off, 1 stupid name Lowkey! 2 many woofers, 1 stupid man, 1 bench to reclaim, 2 cuppas, 1 green boat, 1 Jaq smile, 4 fingers crossed for Tuesday, 20 minutes catch up with Australia, 1 bully beef ding ding for Tilly tonight.

Beeston Castle Winding Hole to outside Nantwich Basin

Jack Frost had visited us over night and the surroundings looked very picturesque this morning. We were relieved that the water around us was still fluid so that we could carry on to Nantwich.

For the first time this year, maybe this winter, I put thermals and padded trousers on this morning as it looked so cold and with wind chill added we could get nithered if not wrapped up well.

The lock ahead was empty as planned, so was the next one, but the following two were set against us, all that winding of geared paddles!

Above Beeston Stone Lock the pair of boats was still moored on the visitor moorings and just after the rings finished was a short narrow boat with a tarpaulin over it’s stern. As we slowly made our way towards it, it became obvious that the bow had come adrift as it swung out from the bank. It then proceeded with the assistance of the bitter wind to do a perfect wind (turn, called wind as you use the wind to your advantage to make the manoeuvre) right in front of us, returning it’s bow to the bank. No shunting back and forth, just a simple clean swing all the way round.

We could see that it had been tied on pins which looked like they were still hanging on it’s mooring ropes in the water. Once we’d managed to pull in I held Oleanna whilst Mick headed back to moor it back up. It then decided that it would rather be on the other side of the cut, but the wind soon pushed it back over. With all it’s ropes now on the off side and hard to get to, Mick managed to grab the centre line. By now the boat was by the start of the visitor moorings so he tied it to the first ring. It may have drifted from further up the pound, but it was certainly now facing the opposite way from where it had been left and moored a touch more securely.

A squeezing through the Anglo Welsh boats below Bunbury, then up the staircase on our own, just a family watching our every move. By now we were cold and hungry so we made use of the moorings before the services at Calverley.

The next treat cheese came out, Black Bomber Snowdonia Cheddar, creamy but with a kick. With time getting on we didn’t have time to stop at the cheese factory, next time.

We toped up the water tank whilst I cleaned out Tilly’s pooh box and then had a shower. The water tank needs to stay as full as possible with the likely hood of the canal freezing over, no water point will be passed without being used. Straight on at Barbridge. Obeying the sign at the bottom of Hurleston locks we kept straight on towards Birmingham, we’ve been to the furthest points in the other two directions so it’s south for us now.

Being not far from Snugburys Ice cream we could make out the ears of Peter Rabbit in their field holding onto his dagger carrot as the sun was setting behind him. I’ve started to find him quite menacing.

So far this winter we have always seen a kingfisher along this stretch from Barbridge to Nantwich. I was beginning to think that today was going to be the occasion that proved the rule. But a flash of blue by the moorings at Henhull and one came out for a photo call, first sitting on a cratch cover and then a tiller. As soon as we passed he was away back low along the cut flitting this way and that to give us flashes of his blue back.

Arriving at Nantwich there were a couple of spaces before the service block, these are normally 24hrs, but for another month are 14 days. We decided to see if there was any space on the first stretch of the embankment so carried on through the bridge. However there was a line of boats stretching all the way to the aqueduct. Mick popped Oleanna into reverse and gradually pulled us back through the bridge hole to moor in one of the gaps. By now the freezing breeze had frozen our bottom jaws and we were glad to get back inside to the warmth of our stove. Stew and a Hot Chocolate Cake for pudding was well deserved.

We’ll most probably stay here for a few days and see if the icy winds from Siberia do their worst. We have shops nearby, a water point and if we run out of coal there’s the chandlers to top up our stocks.

This morning we heard of a boat fire in Stone last night, where the owner and her dog passed away. Tragically it turns out to have been Alex Bennett who we saw in the New Year with at Bugsworth Basin 2016/17, we also bumped into her on NB Tench last October on the Caldon. She was a well known face at boat rallies and she loaned NB Tench to Alarum Theatre Company last year for their Idle Women Tour (click on the link for a bit more about Alex). We hardly knew Alex but will miss crossing bows with her somewhere on the network. When we next see NB Tench she will have a new owner. Our thoughts are with her family and friends, such a sad loss.

6 locks, 2 of them a staircase, 8.81 miles, 1 reverse, 2 straight ons, 1 perfect wind, 1  freezing wind, 1 full water tank, 1 frozen head, 1 photogenic kingfisher, 1 less boater on the cut.