Monday 29 June 2009

Well, today was not without excitement!







We set off from Lemonroyd marina, down the adjacent lock (15 feet deep) and set off further down the Aire and Calder Navigation with anchor at the ready and lifejackets on.


All peaceful and serene as we made our passage down to Castleford, notching up about 5mph!


Then, as we approached Castleford Junction ready to make a left hand turn into the flood lock, the VHF radio crackled and we heard a voice saying "there is a narrow boat coming down from Leeds, just lookout for it!" Then, slowly but very surely, the nose of a loaded sand barge appeared in front of us and moved out of the junction, and across our path on its way on to Whitwood Wharf. We slowed down and the barge, very low in the water, continued on its way from left to right across the front of us.

Although the lock traffic lightremained red, Bob used his VHF radio speak and we got confirmation that our passage was then clear to proceed on through.



We moored for lunch, completed our pumpout needs, and low and behold the flood lock trafficlightwent red and the same barge returned back through the flood lock, having deposited its load up stream. It was manoevred without a bow thruster and single handed, very impressive boat handling.


So we are now pressing the pause button folks, whilst we return home for a couple of weeks to have a rest!

Our cumulative totals are: 429miles and 274 locks = 2.75 lock miles an hour approx

Sunday 28 June 2009

Rodley through Leeds and onto the Aire and Calder Navigation

Today records have been broken - over 7 engine hours - moving off around 8 30am when it was slightly damp and overcast. This meant the local lads and lassies were not keen on swimming before the sun broke through and so we did not encounter the navigational hazards as expected. The water here is so clear, it its easy to see why swimming in the canal is such an attraction to the locals on a hot day, but we wouldn't do it even if you paid us!

Working our way down the locks into Leeds city was quite pleasant, as there are loads of new developments along the way, and as we got into the city centre a charity dragon race was on going and lots of people were enjoying live music in the cafes and bars along the way.

The Aire and Calder Navigation is another wide, deep waterway where we could open the throttle between locks, are now electric, unmanned and enormous!

We are spending the night within a BWML marina at Lemonroyd before going off tomorrow down to Castleford for necessary services.

Saturday 27 June 2009

From west of Saltaire to Rodley, Bridge 215

Today we have travelled a lot further than we intended!

We moored in Saltaire mid morning and visited Salts Mill which has been converted to house several floors of retail units, but has a display of David Hockney drawings and paintings. Quite interesting but no air con and it was very oppressive heat inside. Very interesting to read about Sir Titus Salt and his achievements. The mill was opened in 1853 to manufacture fabrics some from alpaca wool brought by canal from Liverpool.

Our plan was to moor up mid afternoon, but advice from a BW lockkeeper about passing through Leeds, spurred us on further so that we get through the locks on the outskirts of Leeds as early as possible tomorrow, as the heat of the day will bring out the local lads who risk their health swimming in the canal and generally making a pain of themselves, especially to boaters. Why doesn't somebody stop this small yob faction spoiling it for the masses? Apparently this swimming also goes on at Wigan locks on hot days, but because we came up that flight in the pouring rain, the yobs stayed in bed that day!

Doubtless these nuisances will expect the NHS to spring into action should they become unwell from these antics.

So tomorrow it is Leeds and maybe life jackets and anchor time, again if we proceed onto the Aire and Calder Navigation

Friday 26 June 2009

Silsden to Dowley Gap Locks

Today we nade our way through Silsden and down the Bingley 5-Rise and 3-Rise Locks. Barry the lock-keeper is still there after 32 years but seems to have a supervisory role now with younger keepers actually helping you down the two flights.

We had lunch above the 5-rise and amused ourselves watching a 60 feet long hire boat trying to turn immediately above the locks, where the channel must only be 59 feet 11 inches wide!! They were eventually advised to reverse 100 yds to the official turning point.

The staircase locks were very hard work, especially in such humid weather and having walked miles between swing bridges in the morning.

We were glad to see the Damart Mill is still in use at the bottom of the locks but didn't stop to buy any thermal underwear today.

Thursday 25 June 2009

Skipton almost to Silsden



We hadn' t realised until this morning that we had moored alongside the old Dewhurst Mill that used to produce Silko thread until 2003, but is now luxury flats with a German secure stacking system for residents cars.



We spent the morning in Skipton and the town has left a us with a good feeling - an attractive town with quality retail outlets and clean and tidy too!



We have been through several swing bridges this afternoon, one in particular was so stubborn it necessitated a damsel to run down the road and help Bob open it!



Our mooring this evening is looking down the valley, with Silsden in the foreground.



We are ready for Bingley and Saltaire tomorrow.

Wednesday 24 June 2009

From Gargrave to Skipton

A bright and breezy run down into Skipton, through more stunning Yorkshire countryside. We moored at lunchtime after a couple of locks and a few swing bridges.

We spent most of the afternoon visiting Skipton castle, which is a very fine surviving example of a medieval/Norman structure, loads of rooms, dungeons and fireplaces, and with immaculately manicured and rollered lawns. Skipton itself was a pleasing scene of a bustling market town, probably the busiest town we have encountered. Lots of boats, boat trips, market stalls, and shoppers spending. Mary Portas would have her spirits lifted if she came here!

As a note of interest to a certain follower of the blog, we have caught up with the couple on the green boat whom we shared the Anderton Lift with. We met them on the towpath in Skipton this afternoon and they are planning to go up to Ripon as well, and they mentioned that they will have to leave their boat for a few days while he goes to a gig in early July ( he is a guitarist ) and they plan to use the same marina to leave the boat that we have chosen. Thats exciting isn't it.

Tuesday 23rd June 2009

Bank Newton Top Lock to Gargrave

A leisurely start to the day due to the lock restrictions and so we set off at 10 am. Shared the locks at Bank Newton and Gargrave with a hire boat from Burnley with a very nervous crew.

Stopped at lunchtime as it was getting far too hot to go through the rest of the locks, and then it rained all afternoon, another excuse for not going any further!!

British Waterways have a funny way of writing around here as the "Cill" warning on the lock in the picture proves.

We are still trying to organise somewhere to leave the boat at the end of this phase of our journey.

It is good to be back in Yorkshire again, even the weather forecaster on the BBC talked about sending the rain clouds across the border to Lancashire.

Totals for the day - 1.5 miles and 9 locks!!

Monday 22 June 2009

From Salterforth to locks at Bank Newton

Had a very leisurely day yesterday. Just one tunnel - Foulridge - the longest and wettest so far. Spent the remainder of the day in Salterforth, Lancashire, where there was a village fun day, and The Anchor pub, where the bar is in the old bedroom area as an extra floor had to be built on, to raise it to canal level.

Today we started our descent down the Pennines, from the dizzy height of 150 metres above sea level. To mark our return to Yorkshire, we stopped for lunch at the Cross Keys, at East Marton, but alas it is no longer a Theakston house, but we made the best of it.

In order to conserve water, the locks ahead are available from 10am to 6pm, so we will have a leisurely start tomorrow as we move down to Skipton.

Saturday 20 June 2009

Fosters Swing Bridge to above Barrowford Locks, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Well, today our passage was not as torrid as we had anticipated. Lott of floating plastic but no submerged furniture and other objets d'art! Quite a relief after yesterday.

We passed many, many empty mill buidings as we progressed through Burnley, all ripe for restoration, just waiting for investment.

We managed to pass under and over the M65 within about 20 minutes today, as the canal wound around and around. Eventually we reached the 7 locks at Barrowford, and we are now moored on the summit of the Leeds and Liverpool canal. An adjacent reservoir that feeds the canal is very low, considering this early point in the summer - no wonder we will encounter restrictions at locks further on.

Each day Bob means to calculate our running total of locks and miles, but never quite manages to add all the stats up - and he a lapsed accountant!

Today we added another 7 locks;1 tunnel and 13.5 miles. .

Friday 19 June 2009

From Riley Green to Fosters Swing Bridge, Clayton Le Moors

We are now nearer to Leeds than Liverpool having passed the midway point along the canal, but we have still more locks to ascend tomorrow. This picture shows the memorial (?)to mark the 50:50 point.

Our passage today through Blackburn and beyond meant our having to steer through mile after mile of floating plastic, submerged sofas, chairs, fire extinguishers, wheely bins, you name it we went round it or over it! and graffiti on everything - so no surprise, anti vandal keys for the locks again. We did not feel comfortable about leaving the boat for shopping, not that we could get close in to the side due to underwater debris!

More of the same again tomorrow as we proceed through Burnley, towards the summit level and Foulridge Tunnel.

Fortunately we have found a rural mooring this evening overlooking the bleak Lancashire moors, BUT a family of swans are driving us mad by pushily knocking at the windows for food.

Our second picture was taken moments before we had a really frightening episode - the rudder became trapped under the lock gate paddle whilst we were filling the lock. Emergency action to swiftly shut the paddles and then lower the water level to release the rudder - phew! No apparent damage other than to our blood pressure!

Thursday 18 June 2009

Haigh Hall Country Park to Riley Green, moving north along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal via Botany Bay!

Well it's been another hard day at the tiller! but alot more pleasant than yesterday.

We are slowly ascending the hills up towards the Pennines. Double width locks with very heavy gates certainly take some opening, where's that crew girl! We did 7 locks today at Johnson's Hillock, so it is on through Blackburn tomorrow. Hardly saw anyone else moving on a boat, but we did encounter 3 day boats pirouetting around, with several senior citizens onboard making very slow progress to their pub lunch.

Our pictures show one of several sunken boats we have passed in the last 24hours , and also the crane at Botany Bay Boatyard for crane anoraks.

Wednesday 17 June 2009

Abram to Haigh Hall Country Park



After an 8am start we managed to reach Poolstock Locks just as another boat crew was preparing them, so we accompanied them up 2 locks. Unfortunately they turned left for Wigan Pier and we turned right for six hours hard labour.

The first two locks (of the 21) were set against us which slowed things down, but then one of the lock-keepers spotted us and helped us to the halfway point and the other lock-keeper prepared the locks in the second half of the flight for us. There were eight boats going down the flight today and just two going up.

The whole area around the flight of locks was full of rubbish, either from the local yobs or blown in from a rubbish tip near the top. A great shame because it could be quite a nice area. One lock-keeper was saying that some of the locals have been swimming in the locks, that should cut down their numbers! No surprise every lock mechanism needed an anti vandal key.

Once at the top we took advantage of the rubbish disposal and water filling facilities before heading out into the country for a nice spot to moor, and recover.

Oh! Did I mention that it has thrown it down all day and the boat is now full of clothes hanging up to dry. Perhaps the central heating willl be on this evening. We had come to enjoy travelling in the dry over the past week.

Tuesday 16 June 2009

Dunham Massey Hall to Abram (Leeds & Liverpool Canal)

A long day ( approx 20 miles) from Dunham through Sale, Stretford, Trafford Park, Worsley and Leigh.

We stopped for lunch and a look around at Worsley to see the entrance to the underground canal network developed by the Duke of Bridgewater for his mines. This was where British Canal Mania really started. The water in this area is orange from the dissolved ochre in the water.

We have moved from the Bridgewater Canal (belonging to the Manchester Ship Canal Company) and onto the Leeds & Liverpool Canal (British Waterways).

Near Trafford Park we crossed the Manchester Ship Canal on the Barnton Swing Aqueduct, amazing to think that one week before we were on the MSC.

Tomorrow will be another early start (by our standards) for the ascent of the 23 locks in the Poolstock and Wigan Flights.

ps We came across a lighthouse a long way from the sea!

Monday 15 June 2009

Moore to Dunham Marrey

A slow chug for 11 miles passing through Stockton Heath ( rip-off prices at Sainsbury Local) to Dunham Massey Hall.

Nothing much to report apart from a man with 3 greyhound type dogs rescued from Spain and another boat called Vagabond (how much excitement can you take on a narrowboat trip?).

We have moored next to Dunham Underbridge (near River Bollin Aqueduct) which was the site of a dramatic breach in 1971 that we believe happened just after a Jelley crew had passed by!

Tomorrow will be a longer day to get in and out of Manchester and back to somewhere rural to moor (ie Wigan!!).

ps Polished brass mushroom vents today

Sunday 14 June 2009

From Anderton on the Trent and Mersey Canal, and northwards on to the Bridgewater Canal

Another perfect boating day, other than our crew girl left today to return to proper work, just as she was getting the hang of the routine.

At last we have encountered a traditional hotel motorboat and butty, with bright paintwork, white ropes, huge tiller and rudder and a very efficient crew going about their duties. It drew a lot of attention and rightly so.

We passed by the Anderton Lift again as we moved north on the Trent and Mersey canal and into the first of todays tunnels. All were only wide enough for one boat, but as 2 of them were not straight, we had to comply with strict times for entry, and trust that no one had 'jumped the lights' as it were from the other end!

No problem, so onward on to the Bridgewater Canal moving high up above last weeks routes along the River Weaver and the Manchester Ship Canal

Our day ended as we found a quiet spot in the warm, late afternoon sun, in a village named Moore, on the Bridgewater Canal. (A fisherman here when we arrived, is still fishing nearly 6 hours later!)

2 canals; 3 tunnels; 1 lock (6" deep);

Saturday 13 June 2009

From Bridge 20 Middlewich Branch to just south of Anderton on the Shropshire Union Canal

The name is Bond, Vagabond - as a passing boater said!

A perfect boating day weatherwise, as we made our way off Britain's apparently shortest canal and back onto the Shropshire Union back towards Anderton. Only thumped once by a novice hire boater!

We got caught behind a boat being slowly towed - spot the outside fridge on deck - not quite todays hotelboat standard.

Our other picture shows a sunken wooden boat abandoned in the middle of a flash of water, the result of salt mining years ago.

Friday 12 June 2009

From bridge 20 to Barbridge Junction and back along the Shropshire Union Canal, Middlewich Branch towards Anderton

This is the continuation of a little deviation from our intended route, along the Middlewich Arm of the Shropshire Union Canal, through very pleasant country, and narrow locks. Perfect day with lots of happy boaters. Several particularly attractive homes many with timbered in black and white, much like in Chester.

At the end of our day we were looking for somewhere quiet to moor when we encountered a boat travelling towards us with about 15 Amy Winehouse lookalikes on board - gruesome sight -fortunately for Bob they kept moving, as they wanted to borrow him for the weekend!

Thursday 12 June 2009

Anderton - Trent and Mersey to north of Middlewich -Shropshire Union Canal

A lovely day!

Well, today panned out to be much more pleasant than we expected. Dreary skies at the start produced a sunny and warm day. Lots of interesting boats to pass, plus industrial salt works galore, back gardens to view, lovely scenery and today, locks to do too! The first lock of the day was the 14 feet deep Big Lock at Middlewich - so big and obstinate were the lock gates that it took a very gallant gentleman, to help us open them! He told us that one of the lock beams was original ie 200 years old?? No surely not!!!

Later, we came across a rusty old hulk across the canal that had broken free from its moorings and needed Bob and another boatman to tether again.

On our way again, and we found some boaters having a 'domestic' between locks, engrossing some painters waiting to paint the lock beams.

Wednesday 10th June 2009

Anderton Lift - Bottom to Top

The day started wet but dried off enough for us to have a trip upstream to have a look at the work being carried out on Vale Royal Locks. Short stop at Northwich for shopping in M&S.

Returned back downstream to Anderton Lift after lunch for our trip up. We had to wait until 4pm before we could get a slot.

The operator had trouble shutting the bottom guillotine gate on the caisson which delayed things a little. Once the lift started we had a very gentle ascent, whereas the other caisson coming down seemed very jerky.

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Ellesmere Port to Anderton, River Weaver via Manchester Ship Canal














What a day!





We were ready for British Waterways to arrive to unlock the chain around the last lock gates to enable us to get down onto the Manchester Ship Canal. Unfortunately, the chap who turned up did not have the right key, so he had to use a hack saw instead. Then the local authority chap arrived and opened the road bridge over the lock, and we were off. Bob used the VHF radio to advise the shipping authority that we were about to leave Ellesmere Port, good job too, because as he was doing so, a massive ship passed across in front of us, from right to left moving at some speed, as our picture shows.

After that, we gingerly moved out into the wide water and kept our eyes peeled for another big craft we learned was coming our way. We passed huge refineries, cooling towers, smelled gassy air as we went, but saw very few people working in these vast sites.



The only ship we passed on the Ship Canal was the "Gina D", the Control Room had told him to look out for us as we were "only little". When we first saw him he was pushing an enormous bow wave and we were concerned that he may not have spotted us. He did slow down for us and captain and crew gave a very friendly wave as he opened the throttles after passing.

The same British Waterways man was at Weston Marsh Lock where we left the Ship Canal to join the Weaver Navigation. The lock is falling apart and the top gates have to be opened with a winch as the proper mechanism is broken. It's amazing they still allow pleasure boats through foc.

We passed through two more locks on the Weaver (very friendly lock-keepers) before mooring below the Anderton Lift (tomorrows excitement).

Our crew girl Trindy will join us this evening, for a few days.

Monday 8th June 2009

Chester Zoo to Ellesmere Port

Having moored near Chester Zoo last night, we have now moved on to Ellesmere Port to moor at the Boat Museum ready to go down onto the Ship Canal tomorrow. Todays journey was probably the worst we have encountered with floating plastic and polystyrene along the way, Pity.

The waterways museum is very interesting, spread over an attractive site and well worth a visit.

We are moored this evening between an old ICI coaster and the Holiday Inn Hotel!! Can you spot us in the middle of the picture?

The anchor is connected, the lifejackets are dusted off, and the VHF radio ready for tomorrows adventure.

Saturday 6 June 2009

On to Chester

We reached Chester today and moored opposite Telford's Warehouse, now a popular restaurant at the bottom of a staircase of locks. Our passage into Chester was through a narrow channel hewn out of redstone rock, edging around part of the town wall. (We shopped at Tescos here, of interest to a few of you we know, and saw a hotelboat crew struggling to wheel an overflowing trolley to their boat.) The persisitent drizzle did not stop us walking part of the wall, overlooking the River Dee, around Chester racecourse known as the Roodee, and on into the town. We walked the rest of the wall today Sunday, passing ancient Roman towers and gateways enroute and meandered around the attractive black and white timbered covered galleries with smart shops.Chester is a rather interesting city with bags of Roman, Norman, Tudor,and Victorian history.Well worth a second visit.

The town has a large population of pigeons, and the picture above shows the pressure for accommodation, where nests exist in ends of one of the lock gates!

Friday 5 June 2009

Tattenhall Marina to north of Waverton


Well, we are back afloat and have left the security of the new marina at Tattenhall and rejoined the Shropshire Union Canal making for Chester. Our roof top flowers are displaying signs of severe sunburn and may not recover!

We stopped at Waverton again, this time for morning coffee with friends we had met some 2 years ago but hadn't realised they lived just here! Our picture shows us in their garden, after being ferried across from the towpath by Sea Jeep.

We later moved a little further north, but not all that far, for lunch and somehow lost momentum to proceed into Chester until tomorrow. A pleasant afternoon, threatening clouds but not actually raining until early evening, and boy did it.