Tag Archives: Sunday

Drum And Bass Pace. 28th September

Sainsburys, Nottingham to Stoke Lock, River Trent

Knapolitans, blood transfusions, hash brown recovery, coffee and conspiracy were some of the topics covered on the Geraghty zoom. It was very good to see everyone this morning back home where they should be, fingers crossed it will be the same next Sunday.

Mick returned to Sainsbury’s to pick up some food caddy bags that we’d forgotten about yesterday, then we were ready to push off. Last night our mooring had been pretty quiet for the centre of Nottingham, Mick had been aware of people chatting and walking past, I’d been aware of some road noise, but thankfully the students didn’t keep us awake as they have done in the past. This morning however was a different affair as the Nottingham half marathon was going past on the road. Supporters cheering runners on, runners with ghetto blaster strapped to their backs kept the drum and bass pace going.

Choral accompaniment

At Castle Lock we had a different musical accompaniment to normal, the pub’s speakers being drowned out by a choir on the bridge below the lock singing Amy Whitehouse songs as the half marathon passed by them, what a jolly affair. As I was closing the bottom gates a cruiser came into sight heading for the lock so I pushed the gate open again for them and walked round.

Looking under Trent Bridge to the steps

I walked ahead to Meadow Lane Lock. At the 90 degree bend Mick brought Oleanna round after a blast of the horn. The fishermen complimented him on his turn as they are more used to small cruisers totally messing it up. The lock was full so we could go straight in. Then with only one paddle working to empty it we took our time to descend. It then felt an absolute eternity until I could open the gate, is my reduced ballast playing a part?

New bridge

Surprisingly there were no rowers, sailors or boats of any sort on our way down stream towards Holme Lock. We’d considered mooring at the County Hall steps and it looked like there would have been room for us, but we opted to go a little further today. The new Waterside Bridge is being constructed on the north bank, there will be a navigation closure when it gets moved into position. Mick radioed ahead to the lock. We were told to take our time as the lock needed refilling and this would take 15 to 20 minutes. Engine now in tickover we sauntered the remainder of the way.

In my opinion the volunteer here should alter the wording of their instructions. They stand pointing to a cable riser for you to pass your rope round, then says ‘Pass a loop round here’. Never pass a loop round one of these cables, I know why!

Radcliffe Viaduct

Onwards downstream, the willow trees starting to turn yellow as Nottingham gets left behind. Would there be space above Stoke Lock for us? Would we be able to moor on the low mooring? Not on the pontoon, so that Tilly can have some shore leave. As we rounded the final bend I zoomed in with the camera. One boat on the pontoon, nobody on the low wall, Hooray!!!

Approaching Stoke Lock

We winded to face upstream and pulled in right to the end of the mooring. Shore leave rules were recited to Tilly and off she went, claiming everything in sight then she headed off into the trees, her limp not seeming to bother her too much. This year we’d started to leave the stern hatch slid open so she can jump out (it’s harder to jump back in), saving us getting up and down to open and close the door so often. However, to stop her from over stretching and reduce her jumping for the time being the hatch will remain shut, we’ll get more exercise opening the door for her. The option of seeing a vet is still there, I’ve noted the location of a surgery close to the canal back in Nottingham.

I’m not sure how that is taking it easy Tilly!

During the afternoon Mick had decided to lift the engine boards, there had been an unusual noise, he thought that maybe he should tighten the stern glad, checked the gear box oil, he refilled the greaser. Then popped Oleanna into gear. Hmmmm! I’m normally the one who notices a different tone coming from the engine, I’d not noticed it when we were under way today or even yesterday. But right now, she sounded ropey, grindingly ropey! Mick’s initial thoughts were that maybe it could be the gear box or the drive plate. He’d give Alastair in Goole a call in the morning to see what he thought.

A little later than planned I got on with a bit of work for panto, but I’d not reached my 40 minutes brisk walking for the day, so headed out to walk back towards Nottingham and see what the Netherfield Nature Reserve was like. The riverbank path is pretty good for a mile or so back towards Radcliffe Viaduct, then it narrows and started to be a little muddy. I tried to find a path shown on the OS map, but only one end of it was obvious heading into a field that had been growing maize.

Netherfield Lagoon

A steep bank brought me up to the lagoons, quite good views across the water, but nothing but standard water fowl to spot. I walked round the bottom end of the lake back down some steps by the viaduct, rather than a scramble down the muddy bank I’d come up. Time to return to the boat to pop a chicken in the oven to roast. We really should have waited longer before buying parsnips. They are one of my favourite vegetables, but before the frost gets to them they can be exceedingly woody and very boring to eat! Shame we’ve a couple left over, maybe I should make some apple and parsnip soup.

Bunny!

3 locks, 6.9 miles, 1 left, 28 voices, 4567687382 runners (maybe slight exaggeration there), 1 volunteer, 0 life jacket, 1 wind, 1 good mooring, 2 neighbours, 1 stern hatch closed, 4 hours shore leave granted, but take it easy Tilly! 1 growling engine! 63 brisk minutes, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/spooked.hologram.tinkle

Is It A Car? Is It A Boat? 21st September

Trent Lock to Turnover Bridge 19, Beeston Cut

‘Girl’ the comic, Marie Antoinette, Processed water, Singing washing machines and the Life of Brians were all discussed this morning on the Geraghty zoom.

Puddle hopscotch

Plenty of puddles to play hopscotch with this morning along the towpath back to the start of the Erewash Canal. Over the very steep footbridge to Mills Dockyard. The place had a jolly hub hub of activity and some very beautiful things to look at.

Mills Dockyard

Mills is quite an historic boat yard. Founded by Amos Mills in 1895 concentrating on wooden barge building, houseboats and rowing skiffs, the company has been passed down through four generations and is now run by Amos’s Great Grandson Steve Mills. Steve restores wooden boats as well as offering services for more modern boats.

Outside lay two rather wonderful skiffs. The woodwork varnished to such a glorious finish. Restoration works had been carried out on these boats and my they were gorgeous. Rattan backed seating. Leather upholstery, pristine coils of rope and polished engines.

More boats sat indoors, a wonderful beaver stern playing out from a beautiful pram hood.

Car or a boat?

Then under cover were two cars. Or where they? One with the body of a boat and wooden mud guards. I believe this will be exhibited at the NEC later this year. Then behind was Burglar Bill, Matt Black, evil gangster style speed waiting to be unleashed on the neighbourhood.

Burglar Bill

History filled walls, the chandlers showed off traditional painting. A one man band sang, played his banjo and hit his suitcase held in place by a toad. Clog dancers clogged and people enjoyed cake and cuppa all under the Sunday sunshine.

Shardlow levels

Time to wind and get moving before the river levels start to rise after the recent rain fall. We chose our time to push off between the sailing dinghies racing at the club opposite.

There were plenty of people enjoying the beer festival by Cranfleet Lock. The level not wanting to equalise again to open the top gates, so I enlisted a chap to help push, he thought the beer was exceptionally good, it certainly wasn’t helping with his diction!

Below Cranfleet Lock

A cruiser zoomed to join us in the lock. However their width was just a touch too much for us to share. Two people appeared at the bottom gates, one starting to lift a paddle before the top gate was even closed, they soon stopped. Mick closed the off side top gate and I could see what was about to happen. The crew at the far end started to whip up the paddles, without checking first. Mick still on the bank, we both shouted to stop.

Thankfully they stopped. Once Mick was actually on Oleanna we gave them the go ahead. I walked down to chat. ‘Sorry I shouted’ I lied. He said, ‘I’ve had a boat for 7 years, so I know what I’m doing!’ I refrained from, in my mind, stating the obvious that he really didn’t! If he’d have waited for the go ahead from the skipper and for the skipper to be on the boat, we’d not have had to shout and he’d have known what he was doing. Helpful people are not always helpful and they could well have been drinking since the bar opened this morning!

Have they gone aground? Was it intentional?

Once down, we were on our way, zooming with the increased flow on the River. No sign of the boat we’d helped to rescue a few weeks ago. But where he’d been stuck there was now a cruiser seemingly stuck. No-one on board that we could see, so no-one to help should they need it.

The lock landing nearly full of moorers!

At Beeston Lock we worked our way down the lock with help from a white haired chap who was made up when I said he could open and close gates. A top up of water then we needed to find somewhere to moor.

Coming into Beeston Lock

No space alongside the road anywhere. I counted 18 motor homes parked up. Through the next bridge. Gosh when we’d come the other way there had only been a couple of other boats along this stretch, today it looked chocka. One possible space which we manged to shoehorn ourselves into, the nearest neighbour impressed that we’d guessed right.

I had a walk to check how far the station was, I’m on an early train in the morning. Then I carried on crossing the railway again and returning to Beeston cut via the Attenborough nature reserve.

Gadwalls

Mick had been under instruction to pop a joint of pork in the oven before I returned. I’d left it uncovered in the fridge for most of yesterday to help dry the rind out, the plan worked and we had very good crackling. The joint big enough for four meals for the two of us and some sandwiches.

2 locks, 5.5 miles, 4 beautiful boats, 2 extraordinary cars, 7 years! 1 unimpressed cat, 14 minutes to the station, 68 brisk minutes walking, 1 beer, 1 joint of pork, 1 camera charged, 1 bag packed.

https://what3words.com/slick.miss.dizzy

Out In The Open. 14th September

Massey’s Bridge, a little bit further on

Breakfast, poached eggs and mushrooms on toast this morning. Then 16,000 views, weighty porridge, poor Olive and Sue Pollard were all topics of conversation on the Geraghty zoom.

Route 6 on the viaduct

With rain forecast for this afternoon followed by strong winds tomorrow we opted to move sooner rather than later away from any trees that might come down. I walked ahead to check for a suitable mooring, more or less back where we’d moored a couple of weeks ago. Only 0.1 mile, but that would do for us.

A quick comfort break for me before I strode off on a walk, hoping to return before the rain set in.

The towpath here is a lovely surface for cyclists and today they were making the most of it, but soon they veer off onto the old viaduct heading to Melbourne. I popped up to have a look at it myself. A great view back towards Swarkstone. Messages have been added to the iron work to encourage exercise, with bees and butterflies to jolly things up even more.

There was a great big hole

Back on the towpath I carried on to Weston Lock, where I turned towards the Trent. The path became more and more muddy, soon the reason why became obvious. A large gravel pit with diggers, in fact just about the whole north bank has been taken over, very glad I’d put my walking boots on today as the mud in places was quite deep.

The Priest House

I’d walked down here to check to see if the hotel across the way was where we’d attended a wedding a few years ago. We’d considered mooring NB Lillyanne by Weston Lock, but the lack of river crossing meant we’d ended up in a hotel in Castle Donnington. It was The Priest House. A little less idyllic today from the north bank surrounded by diggers and then there was the roar of cars going round Donington Park Racetrack. The car park looked busy though, maybe racing drivers staying at the hotel.

I nearly came a cropper in this puddle

I walked along the river bank until the path brought me to more gravel works, a lake marked on the OS map had very little water in it, but a good quagmire of mud to wade through. Under the railway and then along quite a good track to the canal, crossing over it at Weston Grange.

Weston on Trent was founded in 1012 by King Ethelred the Unready. Weston Lock on the canal was built in 1770. The village was split in two when the Midland Railway branch line was built in 1873, and a station served the village until the 1920’s.

Coopers Arms

Lots of cars seemed to be heading up towards Weston Hall which is now the Coopers Arms, a popular carvery by the looks of it overlooking a lake. It was built by Thomas Roper in 1633 and is one wing of what would have been a much larger stately home, however the rest f it was never built.

I could hear the tinkle of a bell, bigger than the one Tilly wears. A look across the field I was about to enter I could see a chap walking with a bird of prey on his arm, sadly I’d missed it in flight.

St Mary The Virgin

Next came St Mary The Virgin Church, which dates back to around 1280. Many of the grave stones have been moved to the edges of the yard. Quite a few of them have been carved from what looks like slate. A line of them dating back to 1769, whoever carved them had a very curly style, very flamboyant, but it does make them a touch hard to read.

A path brought me down to Hospoda, Ukrainian Country Social Club which was quite unexpected. Down a steep path back to the canal. The little bit of dampness in the air thankfully held off really going for it until I was back, tucked up inside Oleanna.

The social club

The rain came down, Tilly insisted on exploring, returning very soggy and muddy. The rain came down more, there must have been quite a social gathering in the sideways trees to keep Tilly outside for so long! Some work on panto filled the afternoon until we popped a chicken in the oven to roast.

0 locks, 0.1 miles, 6.21 miles walked, 103 brisk minutes, 2 heavy muddy boots, 1 very soggy afternoon, 1 soggy moggy, 1 file of cloths for printing sent, 6 sketches requested for Separate Doors, 1 roast chicken.

https://what3words.com/glow.probing.plump

Susie Sunday. 7th September

Willington Visitor Mooring to half a mile onwards

Mick’s sisters were otherwise engaged this morning, conferences, giving speeches, looking round churches with American friends or sleeping, so there was no Geraghty zoom. It turned out to be just as well really.

Time to get up Tilly!

At just gone 10 am my phone binged. I’m here! Oh gosh, I’d meant it when I’d said ‘come early if you want to’, but hadn’t imagined that to be 10am. It didn’t matter anyway, I’d dusted down the worst of the cobwebs yesterday and only really had the back door mat to shake out to feel like we weren’t living in a hovel. Mick jumped in the shower for a spruce up.

I could see down the towpath a lady stopping to chat, the cheese boat caught her attention for a while, then I could see that she was carrying a stack of something. Had she bought the cheese shop out of all their stock? NO she’d stopped at the pub to use their loo and bought a coffee each for us.

Smiles all round with Susie

There are people in this world who just make you smile, and Susie is most definitely one them. We worked together numerous times at the SJT, Things That Go Bump Season, Virtual Reality, lunchtime shows in the restaurant. Our paths nearly crossed a few years ago in Oxford when she was on tour playing Miss Marple, but the theatre had a power outage and I came down with covid the following day shortly followed by Mick. A mutual friend, Christine, had mentioned that we were near Derby at the moment and filled Susie in with Mick’s recent events. Susie called the other day and in a whirlwind had offered to take me out for lunch. I had to stop her in her tracks to say that Mick was now home and ask if he could come too. We sat and chatted, reminiscing on shows in Scarborough, good and bad things, but mostly how wonderful the theatre and the people had been back then. Happy and busy times for us all.

Susie has just opened in a new Torben Betts play Murder at Midnight. The second play in a trilogy of comedy thrillers. So this week, tech week, had been a long one for her. Hopefully we’ll get chance to see the show this coming week before it sets off on tour.

She’s a pretty good actress as well as an artist!

She gave us a little down time as she wanted to do a painting in her diary to help remember the day. A chair was leant to her along with my watercolour water pot and she sat out on the towpath suitably attired (well she is an actress) to paint Oleanna’s portrait. We knew she was still there as we could hear her laughing with passers-by, more smiles being handed out on a Sunday morning.

Painting done, we all walked down to The Dragon for lunch. I’d asked in a Boat Women group where was best for Sunday lunch in Willington. Several options had come back, one too far away and not by the canal, another at a pub with a long menu you get in chain, then The Dragon which was reported to do very nice food during the week, a touch pricey. Well I do a mean roast myself and after the last two weeks didn’t want to be disappointed, and end up wishing I’d cooked my own, plus there was a vast choice on the menu of gluten free options.

Starters

Blimey the place is huge, glad I’d booked a table! We opted for 2 courses, everyone having Bruschetta for starters. Mick then opted for the chicken breast, far superior to the one he had last Sunday, whilst Susie and I went for the beef, seriously treating ourselves with an upgrade to ribeye roast beef. Normally a gf option means you get different gravy and no Yorkshire Pudding, but here that wasn’t the case, good gravy and a pudding that competed on a level with Mick and Susies, plus there was cauliflower cheese which I could eat too! What a feast, we weren’t disappointed in the slightest.

The beef was wonderful

We all left the pub, contentedly full, smiling from ear to ear. The sofa was calling to all us, so it was time to wave Susie goodbye at the bus stop and for us to return to Tilly on Oleanna.

Before we settled down for the afternoon, I walked up the towpath to see if there was any space ahead away from the railway. There was so we dropped the covers and pushed on half a mile to where Tilly could go climbing trees and pouncing in the friendly cover.

Tilly in the trees

A lovely day all round and the only time it rained was when we were inside the pub.

0 locks, 0.5 miles, 0 zoom, 1 last quick tidy, 1 David W***y, 1 Village Wooing, 1 tennis court, 1 painting, 3 Sunday roasts, 3 very full contented smiling people, 1 bill split, 1 happy cat, 1 lovely Susie, thank you for coming to see us.

https://what3words.com/storybook.toys.gangway

Ham or Chicken. 31st August

Burton on Trent / Derby Hospital

A cuppa in bed with the papers

10 out of 10 and 8 out of 10 for the blind date was relayed to the hospital where Bran Flakes had been served up this morning along with a request for a banana.

I joined the Geraghty zoom, very good to see all of Mick’s sisters, there seems to be a touch of hospital relay race going on in the family, one out, one in and another waiting to go in. Here’s hoping in a few weeks everyone will be at home and all sorted. Subjects discussed today obviously included medical things, armed guard drug deliveries, jazz hand sight tests, pulling the whistle and poo dominoes!

A good sun puddle day for Tilly

I packed a bag for Mick, our hope is that if I provided him with several clean sets of clothes he’d end up not needing them, fingers crossed. A new set of pyjamas was requested, no washing of clothes allowed on Oleanna at the moment to conserve water, plus his ear plugs. Last night after one chap had finally persuaded the staff to let him go home despite there not being a full array of his drugs to take with him (the missing one he had plenty of already at home) a new patent was admitted. Everyone on the ward has been affected in different ways by their stroke, this poor fella needed his bed changing several times during the night which obviously was quite disturbing for everyone, especially himself.

A brighter sky today

One bus company don’t run on Sundays, I had to make sure I wouldn’t end up being stranded either as the buses stopped late afternoon. A visit to Primark on the way to catch the bus then it zoomed it’s way up to Derby.

Mick was making full use of his chair, it even had an extra gel pad to sit on. No new news and no visits from a doctor of any sort, he’s just in a holding bed, or that’s what it feels like. In the bed opposite is a chap who has lost more sight than Mick. The Occupational Therapists had taken him into a kitchen on the ward and asked him to make a cuppa. ‘I wouldn’t know how, I never make tea, my wife does it’ ‘What sort of things do you cook?’ ‘I don’t, my wife does the cooking’. He was also taken for a walk down the ward then asked to find his way back to his room, ‘How am I meant to do that?’ He’s certain they have written that he is stroppy on his notes and isn’t allowed home because of this. He did offer Mick some positive news that 18 to 20% of people who have sight loss after a stroke make a full recovery, wonder if he’ll ever be capable of making his own cuppa!

We chatted, swapped clothes over. Took a photo so everyone can see he’s still with us. He insisted on me taking the photo of him pulling that funny face. Good job he was a telephone engineer and not an actor hamming it up like that! Mick ordered roast chicken for his dinner which sounded like a good idea, so I headed off to catch a bus that would have me back in Burton in time to do some shopping.

How do single people manage to shop? It’s been twenty odd years since I lived on my own. I wanted just a chicken leg to roast with some veg. I could only buy them in fours. The freezer is full of the things we had delivered last week so no room for three legs in there. I ended up buying a small chicken to roast.

Micks chicken breast looked like it had been grown in a lab, mine had tarragon and garlic under the skin. Mick had watery things that resembled sprouts, I had crunchy broccoli. Mick had gravy that had been nuked in a microwave, turned slightly chewy towards the edges, I had gravy with wine and tomato puree in it. What I didn’t have was little packets of salt and pepper though!

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 sisters, 2 buses, 1 pyjama set, 2 clean pairs of pants and socks, 1 cheese salad, 1 bored boy, 1 stroppy chap, 1 well used chair, 1 small chicken, 1 cultured chicken, 1 bored cat, 0 new neighbours on the cut, 2 boaters 1 cat with everything crossed for tomorrow.

‘S’ Approach. 17th August

Hazelford Lock to Stoke Lock pontoon

Thank you for the tea, thank you for my mug Tilly

Paracetamol has been doing it’s job and Mick woke this morning not feeling the need to take more. We enjoyed a leisurely tea in bed (TIBED) and joined the Geraghty zoom to catch up with Mick’s siblings. There was conversation about our trip to Mansfield Emergency Department (when did they stop being A&E?), sibling ambulance rivalry, the RNLI, Barbara Windsor, Proms and Torches.

How had Mick strained his chest muscles? On tidal waters we keep the well deck clear so should we need to deploy the anchor there is nothing in the way. So spare poo buckets, fenders, ash pan, hose etc all get moved into the shower. The spare poo buckets tend to hold mooring spikes, nappy pins etc and with such contents they are a heavy cumbersome lift, especially when they need to be lifted over the bed and put into the shower out of the way. I’ve injured my back when stooping to pick them up in the past and they may well have been the culprit this time.

So we need to amend how we do some things to avoid injuries. Empty the contents from poo buckets before lifting them, unless it happens to be poo! Emptying the yellow water can be amended too, less lifting of the heavy container by using our long yellow water hose in places like our current mooring which is awkward. This method worked today, it did mean shouting louder to each other. The container was then tucked away in the welldeck where it wouldn’t be in the way until there is easy access to empty it.

Mick radioed up to the lock, there were cruisers coming down so we’d have a bit of a wait. We opted to push out from the bank and hold back on the river ready to enter the lock. Cromwell isn’t the only lock on the Trent that has a problematic sandbank below it. Here there is one about 20 yards below the lock, you can see it quite clearly from above. Yesterday when we returned from the hospital there was a Dutch Barge stuck on it. They’d approached the lock as normal and got stuck, luckily for them the volunteer lock keepers managed to flush them off when they next emptied the lock. The way to approach the locks is to stay well over, at Hazelford to the starboard side of the river then at the last minute turn almost 90 degrees towards the lock then another 90 degrees into the lock a sort of S route. It worked for us and would be handy later in the day at Stoke Lock.

We were joined by a small cruiser who clung onto the lock ladder with boat hooks as we rose, then they vanished off into the distance. The Lock Keeper told us that there wouldn’t be a Lock Keeper at Gunthorpe Lock, my favourite (not) lock on the network!

A lovely stretch of the river, trees just starting to show their autumn colours. We pootled on admiring the boats on the moorings, plenty of people out for a Sunday stroll on the river bank. Just a shame it was a grey day, but that didn’t really matter it was good to be moving, the two of us boating together, just how it should be.

Crews at the lock landing at Gunthorpe

Up ahead I could see a narrowboat being overtaken by the little cruiser. That would be the single hander that had been moored in front of us yesterday. Approaching the lock he pulled in onto the pontoon, crew from the cruiser were heading up the ramp. What would I like to do? Stay on Oleanna let them work the lock, rope round a blue riser, the location of our only other need for an ambulance ten years ago. Or should we offer to work the lock, me pressing buttons up top?

As we got close the single hander asked if we could work the lock, the cruiser crew didn’t know what to do and he was single handing. The cruiser crew suggested we went straight into the lock, his key of power in the panel. Well the very VERY last thing I want to do at Gunthorpe Lock is climb one of the long ladders. Mick put our bow in to the pontoon, far easier and safer for me to step off.

Plenty of keys with no means of retrieving them should they fall in the water

Another cruiser joined us making four boats in the lock. Most of the Trent Locks now just have two buttons at either end to operate them, Open and Close. You press the button when the green light is constant, then hold it to open or close the gates. But here at Gunthorpe it has to be different, you have control over near and far sluices and the gates. I hate this lock with a passion and had jelly legs anyway, now I had four boats to keep an eye on as they rose up. I raised the sluices gradually, all went as it should.

I suggested to the little cruiser to come out of the lock to where there’s a lower wall and I could pass them down their keys. No float on the key ring, No phone number, two big sets of car keys on it too! Stupid testosterone man, ‘Go on chuck them down! Go on!!!’ I refused, why would he risk loosing car keys! Once the keys were safely in the ladies hand they shot off.

All three boats pulled in at Gunthorpe pontoon, well the little cruiser pulled in on the private jetty by the pub. We carried on, Gunthorpe left behind us.

Egyptian Geese really should learn to wash their faces better

Approaching Stoke Lock Mick radioed ahead, time to do the ‘S’ manoeuvre into the lock. We’ve seen a narrowboat stuck on the sandbar here before! We waited for another boat to join us then were penned up by the volunteer. The sandbar below the lock makes Stoke lock just about impossible to work by boaters as it blocks the low side landing.

Stoke Lock

Damn, the low wall mooring was already occupied, the pontoon had two boats, but we could squeeze on the end, over hanging. We took our time, knowing that the usual current here wants to pull you away from the pontoon, not too much evidence of that now though. A late lunch and no shore leave for Tilly, she wasn’t impressed with all those trees around us.

The new mooring when we passed earlier

A walk down the river bank to the pub at Stoke Bardolph, dropping off rubbish on my way and checking to see if I could find the 9km mark hidden amongst the trees, no sign of it. There is a new IWA mooring outside the pub. The wooden fixed pontoon has been there for years, we can only assume the river has been dredged to give enough depth and maybe a few more mooring rings added. Three narrow boats were making the most of it.

St Luke’s

I turned to walk along the fast flowing outflow from the sewage works and then followed roads back towards the river. The small church of St Luke’s was locked, but the doors have glazing in them so I could have a peek inside. The next footpath was looking like it would cross a maize field, I’ve not been lucky with such paths recently, but thankfully here the farmer had left a good 8ft free for walkers. Back on the river bank a small child whizzed up and down the tarmac track on an electric scooter, over taken by a smaller child on an electric motorbike.

Someone’s been enjoying the corn

Back at Oleanna it was close to 6pm, dingding time. The two boats that had been moored on the low mooring had just moved off, a perfect Tilly shore leave mooring. I kept quiet about it as she tucked into some Salmon in Jelly.

A Magpie feather?

Low water levels at Derwent Mouth Lock on the Trent and Mersey have closed the lock today. This is on our current route. We’re hoping it’s from many people using the lock to return to home bases. The stretch of canal is fed from the River Trent so hopefully with CRT opening up a sluice at Wychnor Lock the problem will soon be rectified, even if it’s 25 miles away, we’ve our fingers and paws crossed.

3 locks, including THAT lock, 9.8 miles, 2 cuppas in bed, 2 car keys handed over, 2 ‘S’ approaches, 2 jelly legs, 0 shore leave, 59 minutes brisk walking, 2 snoozy boaters glad to be boating.

https://what3words.com/isolating.solid.icebergs

Am I Your Sister Or Your Wife? 10th 11th August

Scarborough/ Retford and Worksop Boat Club

The Geraghty zoom included more about Alastair’s under croft, oil pumps, contactless access and Berlin. We then started to do chores about the house. Some curtains required some attention, just as Adam appeared to say his farewells. Chance to say how much we’d enjoyed the show last night, apparently a few bits had gone array during the show, but from the audiences point of view it is all so bonkers and seemingly array we really couldn’t tell. A shame not to have had chance to chat with him more, but he was headed for a well earned brunch and we needed to crack on. Adam scores an 8/9 on the lodger tally.

It was dry just in time

Bedding and towel washing, shower cleaning, easiest done whilst in the shower, but I didn’t need to have two showers! Gardening, dusting, a touch of hoovering, the kitchen cupboards needed a de-fingerprint as ever, kitchen floor washed. We gave ourselves a little break and headed out to buy something for lunch and this evening, plus stock up on a few things for the house, bumping into a few friends as we shopped. Time was ticking for our first arrival and I think we got there by the skin of our teeth, still a pile of ironing to be done, but that was fine.

All ironed in the end

Liza arrived having driven up from Norfolk. A quick look round the house for her to choose which side she’d prefer to be on, decision made then we helped her unload a very full car. Liza has been to Scarborough numerous times before, so she’s aware of how the seasons are likely to change over her 9 weeks, she has brought a coat for every eventuality.

An hour later Stuart arrived, having travelled by train his luggage wasn’t quite so comprehensive. I’ve worked with them both but quite sometime ago now, Liza was in Life and Beth’ and ‘Snake in the Grass’ 2008 and Stuart ‘Game Hunter’ 2003, then he toured in ‘Improbable Fiction’ 2006. There was lots to talk about, lots of mutual friends. Of course there was the show they are here to rehearse, Alan Ayckbourn’s 91st play Earth Angel. The big question was, were they playing sister and brother or husband and wife? This was soon cleared up and the ironing could resume.

Tides out, so’s the sun!

Monday morning, costume fittings for Stuart and Liza whilst we packed up, finished a bit of gardening then headed for medical appointments. I took a detour down to the beach, the tide was out and most of the holiday makers were close to the waters edge meaning I had plenty of room to brisk walk across the sands to the Spa, then up through the gardens listening to the brass band playing in the Sun court. I’ve not had a proper summers day in Scarborough for years! Around the houses to one which today was guarded by a unicorn. Duncan was at home for me to deliver sock pair 102 for Jaye. Nice to have a quick catch up, enough for a mention in the blog!

A right good sunny seaside day

Once lunch was eaten we had two things left on our Scarborough list. First one a visit to see Frank. We only just caught him before he was heading out to see a friend. It’s been a few months since we last saw him and he looked pretty good. Rather than getting a bus into town we gave him a lift to see his mate, all a little bit quick, but at least we’d checked in on him in person and seen what we could see.

Unicorn on guard

Next the oil from the engine service was dropped off at the tip. Jobs completed, blood test done, dentist, 1 lodger out, 2 more in, 1 new oil pump delivered, 1 box of panto delivered and scanned, Frank seen, show seen, EatMe eaten, beach walked on, time to head back to Oleanna.

A slight detour was made to Thorne Boat Services to buy 15 litres of red diesel which would make us both feel happier heading out onto the Tidal Trent in a few days. The Chesterfield is a lovely canal, but the lack of someone selling diesel canal side is a negative especially when you don’t normally have a car.

A boot full of boaty things

Back at Oleanna, the doors were opened up, Tilly could have some shore leave. Have to say she’d done quite a good job of keeping the boat cool, but it soon warmed up with the doors and windows open.

The last of the steak and kidney gravy from the pie went in with some mushrooms and some pasta, a good quick meal after a busy weekend.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 30L cat litter, 2 clean and tidy houses, 1 oil pump, 1 pair socks, 3 lots of blood, 1 dentist, 1 hygienist, 3 actors, 1 Frank, 1 lift, 4 lots of bed linen ready for next time, 2 beds changed, 2 clean houses, 63 brisk minutes, 1 more mention of what’s’is’name, 1 husband and wife.

List. 3rd August

Very nice!

A veggie cooked breakfast to help finish off some courgette fritters we’d had the other night. Then the Geraghty zoom. Only the Scottish contingency joined us today, others were off at Woodcraft Folk, Everton and Berlin. Topics included the Scottish Police, curiosity, cousins and a desk under the stairs.

Looking into Shireoaks Marina

We turned into Shireoaks Marina, this is where the services are and topped the fresh water tank up whilst Mick had a shower and the washing machine ran. Once winded, Mick brought Oleanna out of the marina and we headed down the three locks.

I think we know where the cill is

Nine years ago we hadn’t been able to open the bottom gate at the top lock, we’d had to call CRT out who ended up having to drain a pound. This was also the time we got chatting properly to Alison and Laura who then owned NB Large Marge, they are more commonly known as the Margees, even to this day. We ended up cruising the River Trent and Ouse with them and Jaffa their parrot that summer. Today the going was far easier.

Today there was a Fund Britain’s Waterways cruise to Baits Bite Lock on the River Cam

We decided to stop a little bit before our destination today. A short distance above Deep Lock there were some big rings on the bank. Here Tilly could have some shore leave, where as if we carried on to below Deep Lock there was a pub and car park, not Tilly friendly. Before she was allowed out we walked down to Sainsburys for a few bits as we’ve got some visitors in the next couple of days.

NB Hugh Henshall one of the Chesterfield Canal Trust trip boats was heading towards us , a short distance on they would wind then come back to drop people off. Three trips out today from The Lockkeeper pub. They had plenty of crew waiting to work them through the locks, another trip still to do today.

As the afternoon went by another boat came past us from the marina, they were most likely going to moor by the pub down Deep Lock. After a while Mick noticed that we were now on quite a bit of a list. Was this due to Deep Lock being 9ft 8″ deep and the lock above only being 2ft 3″, plus the trip boat having filled Deep Lock several times today without letting any water down from above, most probably. With tomorrow being an assisted passage day back through Worksop the last thing we wanted was to be stuck on the bottom in the morning. Time to move pounds to below Deep Lock.

Moving along again

It took some effort to get off the bottom, then at the lock I waited for Oleanna to be very close before filling it. With two boats already on the moorings below the lock we opted to tie up on the lock landing, it was unlikely that anyone else would arrive now, it being 7pm and we didn’t really have much option. We’d make sure we were off and on our way early in the morning.

6 locks, 1.3 miles, 46 minutes brisk, 1 full water tank, 1 bag of treat lunchy stuff, 2 clean boaters, 3 hours shore leave, 1 listing boat refloated.

https://what3words.com/smug.shut.slowly

Phoebe Anna Traquair. 27th July

Retford and Worksop Boat Club

Cricket, the last Tour on free TV, end of the world haircuts, unicorn/uniform, and Alasdair’s under croft were this mornings subjects. Everyone was present and the screen was rather full as Mick is still in Scarborough ready to do a turn around.

St Peter’s

Dave had mentioned that there were some murals in the church his wife said were worth looking at and that there was a nice walk up to that woody bit on the hill, so today after the Geraghty zoom I set off to see if she was right.

A good door handle

There are two pubs in the village of Clayworth, The Brewers Arms and The Blacksmiths. The former is a homely pub with generous portions, the latter a gastro pub where you can get a Chateaubriand for two at £85, certainly the aromas in the village smelt good!

The east window

St Peter’s Church dates from the 12th C, added to in the 13th 14th and 15th Centuries and underwent a serious renovation in the 1870s. A mesh door covers the thick oak door, aimed to stop birds from getting trapped inside the church, they were doing a good job of trying when I came to leave, swooping in.

It was dark inside, maybe I could turn some lights on. A notice said where to turn the chancel lights on, I just needed to find the card machine to then find the switches. Job done I could see more especially in the chancel.

The north wall

Phoebe Anna Traquair was an Irish born artist who married a Scottish Palaeontologist and moved to Edinburgh were she achieved international recognition for her role in the Arts and Crafts movement. She was an illustrator, painter and embroiderer. Here in St Peter’s is one of her two English murals.

On the south side

Commissioned by Lady D’Arcy Godolhin Osborne to commemorate the safe return of her son Captain Joseph Laycock from the second Boer War. The paintings cover the chancel walls, high up over arches and around the east window, gold glints around faces. On the northern side angels trumpet as the three kings hand over their gifts to Jesus and Mary. A lady looks on could this be Lady D’Arcy? She stands in front of what looks like a viaduct painted into the background.

On the southern side is a depiction of the last supper. More faces stand out from the 1900 style, are these more portraits of locals or members of the family? Very much of their time, finished in 1905. In 1996 the murals were restored to their original splendour by Elizabeth Hirst, sadly now they seem to be deteriorating a touch.

The paintings are very worth visiting, Dave’s wife was right.

A clear path

I now chose to walk up the road alongside the church passing the cemetery and a big house where classical music filled the air. The road turned into a footpath, I was glad of my jeans today as nettles and thistles lined the edges. I joined paths between high hedges, then cut across a field ripe for harvest, today’s path far easier to see than the one a few days ago.

Views!

Skirting round fields the views stretched away into the distance, if only the sun was shining. I passed the wood and started to make my way down hill. A field of white flowering Buckwheat and purple Fiddleneck. Oleanna hid behind a farm house below, other boats tagged on to the end of the moorings visible. Dave’s wife was also right about the walk. I wonder if she’s any more suggestions for tomorrow?

Another archway of trees

Back at Oleanna I got the big vacuum cleaner out, being plugged in I could work my way through the boat which in recent times has become a little unkempt. One more step to being a clean boat again.

Another Gateway

Over in Scarborough Mick had waved goodbye to two lodgers this morning. Initially they had scored a 6 maybe 7. But they were soon demoted to a 5 when a roasting tin was found unwashed along with the juicer! One side of the house was sorted ready for a new lodger to move in mid afternoon.

Lolling on the grass

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 buses they don’t run on Sundays, 5 hours shore leave, 5! plus reminders about rent, 1 muralled church, 1 wood on a hill, 75 minutes brisk walking, 1 boat hoovered top to bottom, 1 busy washing line in Scarborough.

23:58 20th July

Just tucked up in bed, reading, my phone rang, Vazon Bridge! This was it the call we’d been waiting for!

Bottom half of pyjamas replaced by trousers, socks shoes, maybe even a jumper, it should be a touch chilly out! I’d said to Nick or was it Neil the Signal Keeper we’d be ten fifteen minutes, but I think we were closer to four. Covers were being rolled up and dropped in the dark, extra care stepping on and off the boat, we’d had a couple of glasses of wine.

Across the way the crews from the four cruisers hurried from the back boat, a boozy evening had been being had. They didn’t have quite so much to prepare as us. The chap on NB Phoenix Lady was making ready too. I had a key of power, but was beaten to the manual bridge by a lady from the cruisers. By now the sirens from the bridge were sounding and the big railway bridge was sliding out of the way. A boat headlight could be seen making it’s way towards us. I shouted across to the lady at the bridge, there would be at least three boats coming through maybe five or six. She relayed this to the skippers who were starting to push off, they pulled themselves back in as the first boat came through.

Bridge swung and a boat coming through

I pushed the bow out, but being so close to the bridge structure it needed some help, a blast of bow thruster to get us round. I called back to Mick that we needed more, only to be told the bow thruster fuse had blown. A little patience for the bow to fully come round and we were on our way the lead eastbound boat.

Passing the signal box

It must have been a good long window between trains, Nick/Neil peered over the top of his control panel as we came through. There may have been light at the bridge, but once through we were glaring into the dark, headlight and nav lights lit, but still. By the way it’s the first time we’ve had chance to use our new tunnel light, it worked.

Passing the bridge

I stayed at the bow, close to the pointy end and relayed what I could see back to Mick. The glint of two eyes on the towpath, they blinked at the bright lights coming towards them, then turned and ran off along the path, a fox maybe, too big for a cat.

Leaving the bridge behind

There’s the big signs about overhead cables. There’s the spillway with a white sign next to it, Mick could just make this out. Did we want to pull in at this end of the moorings? Yes. We slowed our pace, then stepped off cautiously. Looking behind us the following boats followed suit despite there being a big gap in front of us. One boat came round and pulled in further ahead, the others opting to bang spikes in behind on the grassy bank.

I walked down to see if there was any sign of life on NB Delhi or NB Python, all silent, tucked up for the night. Their last post of the day saying how they’d be up early hoping the temperature would be in their favour. No point in tapping on the cabin side.

Now on the side of southern possibilities

The chap on the cruiser in front of us said they’d not been expecting the call so soon. They’d heard that there had been a power failure at the bridge, and that there had been some doubt as to whether the back up generators would have enough umph to move the bridge. The crews had moved onto the Rum and Brandy! Four boats out for two weeks from Great Heck on a pub crawl to Nottingham, if they make it that far!

Time to tuck ourselves back up in bed. The excitement of getting through the bridge needed to wain. Three nights of waiting and now we are through, we can now say that we’re southbound! Here’s hoping there’s enough water to keep us heading in that direction!

0 locks, 0.5 miles, 1 bridge swung, 1 bridge slid, 3 westbound boats, 6 east bound boats, 2 dormant boats, 15 crew in the dark, 2 eyes, 1 excited cat, 0 shore leave at this time of night Tilly, 1 boat able to carry on it’s way tomorrow later today.

no idea!

who cares!

https://what3words.com/personal.freshest.digestion