Outward Bound - Car, Boat, Buses, Car

11 June 2018 We drove to Cape of Good Hope and parked in the side road there. There was now only one lonely boat on the Cape Visitor Moorings and at 1530ish we  reversed it to the water point to wash the "other" side of the boat. I was hoping that someone would ascend Cape locks and partner us up Hatton Flight. No such luck and we started the flight with hope in our hearts as the bottom lock was empty set for us. Sonflower eagerly entered and ascended. The second was full;  the third was empty and the fourth was full! How does that happen? After that the only assistance we had was crossing with an American hire crew from North Carolina with a baby in a pushchair. They wanted to leave two gates open as they were using the full width of the wide locks for their narrowboat! "Which gate do you want left open?" a crew member called across to me. "The one I'm standing beside", I said. Beside another lock an Australian grandfather was explaining to his granddaughter how the locks work. "How many turns of the windlass do you think we do on this flight?" I asked. She looked puzzled. I told her each paddle needed 21 or 22 turns to open and close it. That is over 1,800 turns on the flight. No wonder some boaters let the paddles drop on their own! Why are the last four locks of Hatton Flight so much harder than the others?

After the top lock the Best Mate was released from the tiller to get a meal prepared and I sought a mooring. We moored on pins, on the wrong sort of piling after White Bridge 61. Some hirers were enjoying a barbeque down the towpath and I tucked into a plate of Indian snacks  with Cumberland Pale Ale.    6 miles, 21 locks, 5.3/4hrs


12 June 2018 We pulled pins at 0630 after a good and peaceful night. No-one else was on the move but we saw a couple of dog walkers as we approached the Lapworth Junction.  Turning left toward Stratford was a completely new experience for us. We have passed Lapworth Junction numerous times and for various reasons refused the offer of  34 locks in 13miles. 

Now we were looking forward to it. A greyhound walker with much local knowledge told me about bottom gates that lean back and are hard to open, "like this one". I had no difficulty which left me full of confidence for the rest of the day.  With many locks close together and others not more than half a mile apart the biggest decision was whether to walk to the next one or get back on the boat. I walked most of the way and the Best Mate poodled along until we got to lock 33. Here a single handed continuously cruising journeyman was leaving the lock. He warned us that the pound after the akkiduck was very low and he with 24 inch draft was bumping along the bottom.

Sonflower stuck in the exit of the lock first and we let water down to flush her through. Then she stuck in the pound. No panic from the Best Mate. I let more water down until the pound above was about 6 inches below cill level on the bywash. I dare go no further as the akkiduck would have limited depth. We entered lock 35.

The next little problem was veg again.This time an uncleared fallen tree that blocked the towpath. Again, dog walkers to the rescue dragging it aside to allow some access to the next lock.

The real fun started at Lock 36 where there was a narrowboat stuck in the lock exit.

Here flushing through made no difference. Checking the bywash cill levels revealed plenty of water in the lower pound. The boat was a Tyler Wilson with a known 24inch draft. So what was the problem? We ummed and arhed and the following boat crew who are members of our cruising club joined in too.  Then it was decided that as the navigation was closed CRT should be informed.We were told a team was on its way and another was adjusting the levels I had reported amiss at lock 34/35! I got out the beer, glasses and waited.  Keith and two heavies arrived and they leaned knowledgeably on the gate and asked the skipper to reverse as we pulled the gate in the opposite direction. NB Escapologist immediately released. Keith then part closed the gate and went in with a large scoop on a long handle, scooping up shells and fresh water mussels. These accumulate behind the gate and prevent the bottom opening enough to let the boat through. The pinch was well below the water line and invisible to us.

The remainder of the cruise was uneventful and we arrived at a lovely mooring above Wootton Wowen Bridge to have a relaxing afternoon. I went for a short walk to the local farm shop while the Best Mate rested  her leg on the daybed and read a book.

We went to the  Navigation Inn on the recommendation of a local long term moorer. This is a really good value for money pub. Only 200 years of experience. I had a pint of Old Goat Ale, a CAMRA champion ale for 2017. It was nice and fruity. Other ales on offer were Eagle (available at my home local) and the ubiquitous Old Speckled Hen which is a bit strong for an evening meal accompaniment.

After a good nights sleep we walked to the Parish Church of St Peter and enjoyed a visit there before we boarded the bus to Stratford on Avon, then another bus to Warwick bus station where our third bus was waiting to take us to the Cape. We then drove back to Banbury well in time for our regular Wednesday lunch date with our ASD son.  7.5 miles, 17 locks, 8 hours                                          

Water!

Today was a lovely day and so I re-connected the water system and we went on our famous water run. We have done it so many times but it is never boring. This was the first time we have done it since I had my second knee replacement. There are a few things that I found different. Firstly, it was a bit more awkward than it used to be to step down into the engine bay to check the oil, water and greaser before we set off. But I managed it.

We met lots of boaters. Some we knew and jested about us actually being on the move! Others we had seen "somewhere before" but of course neither us or they could remember exactly when or where! Some were locals about local business. Even one delivering a spinning wheel to Tooley's boatyard. No idea what for!

There were non boaters too. The two lively boys with her mother beside herself and the lock. As I came into the lock one told me "You're going to disappear".
"What, miss the pier!"
"No DISAPPEAR"
"Piff! paff! pooF! I'm still here!"
As I went down with the boat I told them that it was only 6 feet down so they would still see my head above the parapet. They laughed.  Back at the mooring where we passed a nice few minutes with a father and daughter who had just moved to the area. She was "doing the canal" at school. She watched me as I lengthened a chain to make mooring easier. With two prosthetic knees now I cannot kneel to reach below the pile cap level to thread a rope through the loop on my mooring chain. I have now added another length of chain.

2miles, 2 locks, 2 lift bridges, 2 hours

Dog in a lock! and other excitement: Ivinghoe to Old Wolverton

We set off in time to get a bite of lunch at The Grove Lock. I am not sure whether the pub is known for its dog friendliness but a dog owner was on his way there with his dog extending lead while we were descending the lock. Suddenly behind us was a whippet on a string on the cill, water cascading through the leaking closed gate and perturbing him somewhat. Gently backing the boats toward him spooked him more and he jumped into the water: the most dangerous thing for him to do with two narrowboats backing and props sucking in water to the swim. We feathered the props and gradually drifted in, getting him back on the cill. A crew member of the Wyvern hire boat bravely whisked him up and handed him back to a very pleased owner. They were seen in the garden together enjoying the sunshine and a beer.

I have never shared a lock with a dog before and don't really want to again.

The afternoon was slightly uneventful after that and we enjoyed the fun at Soulbury Three Locks amongst six Wyvern boats going down and two coming up. It was just the place to observe that the seriously good training of the crews that we witnessed earlier in the day at Leighton lock really did not permeate to every member of the crew. We advised and helped as necessary but did not want to be too intrusive in the proceedings. Suggesting that the crew member opened the paddle to let the water out rather than just standing there looking pretty is hard to do tactfully though! Two of eh helmsmen just did not seem to be interested in the lock operation at all, staring into space instead of paying attention to the water and positioning of their craft.

Dinner was taken outside the Three Locks Pub and we stayed on for their Friday evening offering of Beatles, Hollies and Stones covers (live music). Our musician called it "guitar karaoke" as the two guitarists, one tele, one strat, played and sang along to drums and bass from a box!

We set off in the morning at a gentile time of 8am. At Stoke Hammond lock a hire crew were moored on the lock mooring but were not, at this time, ready to descend. A lady crew member said that she would like to watch us do the lock as we "looked professional". Her children were buzzing around the whole time too. We told her we all have started in hire boats and made a load of mistakes! But this time it went as it should and we parted wishing them a lovely holiday and assuring them that Milton Keynes was not such a bad place from the canal side! We  stopped for breakfast just before Fenny Stratford and then worked through the lock with the one foot fall and silly swing bridge in the middle. Here I disembarked the bicycle and left the tiller in my son's hands to steer her around Milton Keynes while I went to Bletchley Station and took a train to Cheddington to cycle back to where our car was parked. I then drove to The Galleon at Old Wolverton and waited for the boat to arrive with a beer and nachos.

We rendezvoused as planned and finished the boating day with a meal in The (All New) Galleon Inn.

Ivinghoe Bridge 123 to Galleon Bridge No 68   23.3/4 miles, 12 locks 1 Swingbridge  

Bletchley to Leighton Buzzard

4 April 2016
We drove to Leighton Buzzard and had a dickens of a job finding somewhere to park near Tesco. Only 3 hours allowed in Tesco, 1.1/2 in Aldi, 2 hours in Waitrose, 2hours on street parking so we ended up in a multi story at £6.50 for over 5 hours. "Still cheaper than a £70 fine" my First Mate for the day philosophically mused.

Then a 70 bus to Bletchley Bus Station and a longer than necessary walk to the boat via Bletchley Centre and following directions to the canal from a postman.

The boat was ok and so we put the kettle on and prepared her to depart. It was sunny when we left at 11.45am but showers followed occasionally through our uneventful cruise to Stoke Hammond lock. Here my First Mate for the day, Stuart, helmed the boat and I worked the lock. Stuart has experience of SONFLOWER from the past having cruised on her with his wife on several occasions.

We saw quite a bit of wild life. A pair of mandarin ducks were probably the highlight but a heron stood firm on the bank as we passed and we watched a wheeling buzzard for a time getting ever higher and higher. A moorhen guarded her three chicks in a reed bed and ducks chased each other around the skies.

We moored below Soulbury Three Locks and went to the Three Locks pub for a very nice lunch. The ale was very nicely conditioned and enjoyed by us both.

John a cheery CRT Volunteer prepared and helped us through the locks. He skillfully used the off side gate paddles to keep us against the near wall so we only used one gate but were not unduly slowed by only using the ground paddles on one side which is my usual careful modus operandae. Here Stuart helms the boat in the Soulbury Bottom Lock while John closes the gate behind him.

Having risen the 20 feet at Soulbury we cruised on to Leighton Lock. This is just before the Wyvern Shipping Company hire base and training on lock working was in full swing and there was a party of schoolboys fishing for carp at the lock entrance. When I say fishing for carp, their gear and bait indicated that this was their intention but the location was definitely not where I would expect any self respecting carp to be at that time of day! Their gear was good and new and I had the feeling that they were in their first outing. They littered the place with wrappers from Tesco barbequed chicken which I picked up, put in their carrier bag and gave to them to take home.    

Sonflower waited for the hire boat pair to come out and then we worked through, The enthusiasm of the next crew to open the paddles to fill the lock was calmed by my shout "Hey, that's my boat in there! Not until we are ready!" Sometimes there can be too much help on hand!

We thanked Wyvern Shipping for their help and negotiated their base where boats were moored four abreast leaving little room to negotiate the floating tree trunk that happened to be in the remaining passage. As we left the base we heard the first chiffchaff of the Spring singing in the tree tops over their car park.

We then looked for a mooring as the sky darkened again. Long term moorings abounded until the 2hour linted shopping mooring at Tesco: thence through  Bridge 114 and past the services to the Leighton Linslade Visitor moorings. These are signed "14 days per Year"! Where did CRT get the authority to make that sort of a declaration? I bet the hire boats are moored there waiting for turn around day more than that each year. We moored between a narrowboat and a wide beam, closed up the boat and went to retrieve the car as the rain started in anger.

8 miles, ½ furlongs and 5 locks  in a day mooring at 5.30pm.

and there's more.

I am sorry there isn't a photo.

You see we were too busy to take one.

A friend told us her daughter's class were taking a walk by the canal and would like to see the lock work. Our boat is away but at the appointed hour there were plenty of boats about and Napton Boats, nb Serenade came by at just the right to time to be a visual aid.

The Best Mate and I were too busy to take a photo because our friend didn't tell us that the nursery class at the school would be tagging along as well. We had 60 children lined up along the lock area wall of Banbury Lock No 29! They followed the boat along through the lift bridge and were models of interest and good behaviour. Well done to Dashwood Schoool and its committment to outside education. The children will have learned more about water today than inside a stuffy classroom.

A Head Teacher once said to me (the chair of Governors at the time) "There is nothing that can be taught better inside than outside the classroom"

I agree.

A Log for the log

The water run is not usually very eventful.

This week we started quite early, as soon as the engine was started in fact. At about 0700 we (I) start the engine to heat water for our morning showers. I moved from our overnight mooring in town to the lift bridge with the crew asleep. The Best Mate popped up to steer SONFLOWER through just after I had raised the bridge and re-joined her so could not get back off. Still she showed willing. We then settled on the water point and started our fill.

This takes about 45 minutes so there was ample time to fill the lock. We were obviously the first craft of the day and there was a huge amount of debris above the lock gates including a four by two varnished plywood panel which would have prevented any gate opening. I cleared this and a few hook loads of reeds to make sure the gates would not be impeded.

Having finished watering, we entered the lock and emptied it. Unfortunately The Best Mate could not open the bottom gate. "Something must be behind it!", she called. I moved the boat as close to it as I could and, armed with the boat hook, went fishing. What I found was a submerged log. It was far too heavy to lift out so I manoevered it free from behind the gate and through the gate opening. But my work was not finished yet. This log would have jammed us in the lock entry if it had been allowed to get between the bow rake and the canalside.

We moved forward very slowly and I prodded it onward ahead of the boat until the canal began to widen out and we were safely away.

"Do you have to do this often? asked a gongoozler from the footbrodge overhead. "No we aren't often troubled by debris" the Best Mate replied. "No, I mean do you have to use the lock much?" he said. "Oh, yes ALL the time".

The rest of the run was uneventful. I was single handed back through the lock and lift brdge as The Best Mate was meeting a friend for coffee but I did not need to worry. By now the lock pool was full with boats coming down and I didn't need to get off to close the lock gate or raise and lower the bridge.

On then to Sovereign Wharf for the PUMP OUT and chat. Is Dusty really giving up the coal boat this month? Then back to home mooring without incident, noting that Canal and River Trust had trimmed the willows opposite our mooring. They haven't touched the dead trees though. Apparently they are not a danger to navigation.

2 locks, 2 lift bridge, 2 miles, 3.1/2 hours

Learning the ropes (in France) Pt 4: Tipping is optional

All the guide books suggest that the lock keepers on the Canal du Midi do not expect to receive a tip. However, many of them have a little stall displaying Mon Mammon preserves and Vin de Table at highly inflated prices. Sometimes a purchase from these stalls might not speed your passage through this time but might do on the return. The lock keepers also have telephones. They might communicate with the next lock keeper if you are sypathetic to their wares, the next lock keeper might also expect you to be.

At one lock, the lock keeper displayed a large number of wood sculptures. Many were obviously fixtures but there were some smaller works of art that were definitely for sale. I must say that I am not a collector of sculpture and it didn't really interest me. This lock keeper also had a large yellow labrador dog. He was particularly fond of mooring ropes and would not let go of ours nor would he let us get to it to retrieve it, pulling the end with great strength and gusto, dropping it and then barking furiously before attaching himself to it again. This game went on for quite a time. Long enough for us to get a picture anyway.

I wondered whether he was trained to hold on to our rope until we had bought a sculpture or left a tip!

Bad Manners

I don't like to moan. No really.

But sometimes one gets that "Victor Meldrew Moment"

We had a wonderful cruise yesterday. We took additional crew with us a little way up the canal and they had a lovely time. ("The best Sunday afternoon ever") It wasn't spoiled by coming bow to bow with a Napton boat whose forward lookout was playing the ukelele rather than looking out. We all started as hirers and there was no physical contact. It's all in the boating experience. I just sang about the captain who played as his boat sank!

When we got to Cropredy there was a hold up. One of the local long term moorers could not get his boat out of the winding hole because a Calcutt Boat was moored opposite it! They had 'popped to the shop'. We couldn't turn because the winding hole was choked. Impass. Eventually the hirers who remained with the boat were persuaded to rope the boat back toward the bridge to allow normal proceedings to resume.

We met the crew of this boat again on the way back to Banbury after our meal. We met them as we came out of Little Boughton Lock because they were moored on the lock mooring! There are three bollards at this lock but with two of them occupied and the towpaths overgrown to a height of seven feet with nettles and cow parsley there was little option bit to try to pull up behind them to get my crew back on board. I didn't mean to but I nudged them a bit as I pulled away again.

I met them again this morning. I was assisting Jack on Iron Maiden who was single handing through lift bridge and lock. He was waiting for the boat blow the lock to enter and work up. This boat however, was waiting to get on the facilities mooring below the lock to empty the cassette toilet, dispose of rubbish and take on water. Who was on the mooring? You've guessed it, the Calcutt crew most of whom had just "nipped off for a bit of shopping". After I approached the
man left with the boat who was on the phone to the rest of the crew, he agreed to move over to the other side of the canal thus reliving the blockage from the lock entrance, and a taxi arrived at the Mill car park with the rest of the crew.

Surely it is not too much to ask people to have a little respect for etiq1uette on the canal?

How can one have such bad manners?

"I don't believe it!"

What all the fuss is about

Here they are.

Aren't they good. Beautiful rear doors in iroko, hand made to fit SONFLOWER complete with new door frame. All is oiled and I just love to touch them.

There is nothing so lovely as natural wood.

Pass the teak oil somebody.

Aint Arf 'Ot Ma

It is May! We have got so used to the cold and damp, the cool and misty, and the warm and windy this year that we have forgotten that May is the month when we "cast a clout"! The weather has been wonderfully hot and dry for teh last few days; in the UK anyway.

On Thursday I went for a bit of a walk. When on the move, we are always looking for short circular walks so that we can exercise the children without tiring ourselves out. A walk to a pub is often not quite far enough to give us the exercise needed but this little walk nearby can be just that is you wanted.

On the South Oxford Canal between Slat Mill Lock No 20 and Little Boughton Lock No 21 are two bridges in the 'middle of nowhere'. Bridge No 157 and Bridge 158. If one moors somewhere between them then a short circular walk is possible along farm tracks, across the railway by unmanned, uncontrolled crossings (PLEASE STOP LOOK AND LISTEN!) up into Little Boughton. Up Chapel Lane will take you to the Plough Inn. After suitable refreshment return down the lane to the bottom and cross by Bridge 158 to return to the boat.


View Larger Map

A distance of about 2 miles. I enjoyed it immensely. At this time of year the rape is high and in bloom and the butterflies are everywhere. There are carpets of buttercups and vetches in flower and the odd orchid amongst the grass in the shade of the hedgerows. Apart from this the songbirds provide a constant musical accompaniment.

On my walk I met one couple walking the tow-path and chatted to the crew of a Napton Hire Boat who were basking in the scorching sun. "It usually rains when we book a boat" he said. "This has been a really nice week"

My replaced half knee survived without any complaint too!

Off the road

We had a very nice lunch in The Plough Inn, Little Boughton the other day. Real Ale, reasonable prices and comfortable village pub surroundings including landlady who was willing to chat and a log fire when the weather is cool.

The landlord is the chef and his immaculate kitchen can be admired throughthe open door from behind the bar.

One can pay by Credit Card but there is none of this new fangled radio wireless nonesense here; you have to go to the bar where they will stretch the wire as far as they can to get you to enter the PIN number. Cash appears to be acceptable though to complete the old fashioned feel.

I noticed a board outside indicating that it was accessible from Boughton Bridge No 158 (South Oxford Canal). It may be worth a visit if you are fed up with Hook Norton Hooky Bitter and the prices at the Red Lion and Brazenoze in Cropredy but it will be a bit of a walk. From the bridge follow the path toward the railway. Cross this and walk through field and the farmyard and onto Chapel Lane up to the pub which is on the main Southam road. It is a country half mile.

We're on our way.

The rain stopped on Thursday evening at about 5.30pm. We slipped the mooring, backed to th turn and we were on our way over the familiar territory northward. The sun dipped gently to the west and by a rosy sunset we were working through Slat Mill lock and we moored in Cropredy as the clock struck nine.

Early to bed, early to rise. The crew were happy to be aboard again and we slipped into our routine. The candles were flickering to make the saloon glow with a beautiful light and we retired in expectancy that tomorrow would really be the start of our holiday cruise.

I was up early as expected to a glorious morning. We slipped moorings before six and Eeyore and Piglet had worked through six locks before the rest of the crew had got out of bed. We stopped for breakfast at Fenny Compton and then with full enthusiastic crew enjoyed the meandering top pound past the ancient furrowed meadows and the earthworks of Wormleighton medievil village. Round the huge horseshoe meander of Wormleighton Hall and the beatiful view over the fields toward Southam. Our first sight of Napton Windmill in the distance reminded us of the deceptive serpentine path this canal takes. It would be six hours before we were passing beneath Napton on the Hill.

The full crew worked through Napton Flight. Two way traffic to enjoy. Everyone was smiling. Holiday hirers who had had days of waiting for the floods to subside were enjoying sunshine and movement. Americans, Dutch, Danish and true Brits were all enjoying the English sunshine today.

We moored at the foot of Napton Flight end rested after 31 lock-miles. We looked forweard to dinner at the pub by the Canal.