Annoying

This is really just to log a night on the boat.  I went to work yesterday from Milton Keynes station, and during my lunchtime walk my phone was snatched by a kid on a bike.  Very annoying.  Without it, I didn’t even know Adrian’s number!  The process of getting everything sorted was begun.  This morning, I did a few boat jobs, such as swapping some bulbs, sorting the loo, and sealing a couple of leaking mushroom vents, and then headed home.  It’s difficult to do anything without internet, and the weather for Monday (which was supposed to be a boat test day) is dire.

Step up

I came up to the boat after work — and the drive took ages. When I got to the marina, I could easily seen the water level was high. Then I found there was a step up from the jetty onto the boat, when there’s usually a small step down. 

September Cruise: Day 18

It rained a lot all night and was still going this morning, sometimes very heavily.  Having looked at the rainfall radar, we waited for a lull and set off at 8.45.  Really, it was the sort of day when you wouldn’t move unless you had to; unfortunately we had to.

The first lock was full — and the rest of the flight turned out to be too full.  Because of the way these Grand Union locks are designed, there are no normal by-washes.  Extra water goes through the ground paddle somehow, and if there’s more it goes over the top gates and over the bottom gates.  The gates are different heights, so if there’s water going over the top ones, the lock will never make a level and you’ll never be able to get the gate open.  So from the second lock down, I had to run water off by opening top and bottom paddles, to lower the whole pound.  Of course each time this just moved the problem further down the flight, so there was a lot of running off water.  It meant the five locks took us an hour and a half.

It had rained again while we were locking, but once at the bottom it had stopped.  It was also pretty warm as we made our way along the five familiar miles back to our marina.  I saw a couple of kingfishers, and there were what looked like hundreds of geese at Grafton Regis.

The last mile had a fishing competition, but at least they weren’t fishing opposite the marina entrance, so I didn’t have to annoy an angler by turning in.  There was no wind, so my spin and reverse into our berth was one of my worst.  Then our next door neighbour came out to tell us that the marina owner, Roy, had unexpected died a couple of weeks ago.  He was 80, and the marina had been his project since retiring from his farm, which surrounds the marina.  He’ll be sadly missed as he would come down to check on everything at least once if not twice a day.

Adrian had done most of the packing as we came along, so we had lunch, loaded up the car and I headed home — while Adrian began the journey to Warrington for work tomorrow.

6 miles, 5 locks.  (215 miles, 137 locks)

September Cruise: Day 17

Another day where the actual weather was better than the forecast, although it was a bit overcast when we set off a bit after 8.  I walked round the junction to the top lock while Adrian brought the boat.

A Weedon hire boat was coming up, so the lock was set for us.

The second lock was full and we met a couple of other boats on their way up, so we didn’t actually have to turn any locks.

We got to the bottom about 9.45, and began the five hour journey along the Stowe Hill pound.  It turned out to have its moments.  In the quarter of a mile between High House Bridge and the narrows, we passed six boats going the other way — it it would have been seven had they managed to get through the narrow bit.  Near Heyford Fields, a day boat from Gayton waited for us to come through the bridge, then got it all wrong and shot across the canal before heading straight for us.  Then in the narrow section before Bugbrooke, an enormous widebeam came through.  We pulled over to let it pass.

It took three people to steer it: one at the bow with a walking talkie, one at the stern with a walkie talkie who also dives back and forth looking down each side, and one actually on the tiller.  None appeared to be enjoying themselves much.  We carried on, and eventually went past Gayton Junction.

As we passed through Blisworth there was thunder rumbling around; thundery showers had been in the forecast, but originally for much earlier.  The rain came between the Mill and the tunnel.  We passed two boats in the tunnel and Mike’s trip boat, Charlie, came in and backed out again at the far end.  Much to our surprise it was sunny in Stoke Bruerne, and we shared the top two locks with the hire boat Sally.  The were lots of people about.

We moored in the long pound, just as there were more rumbles of thunder and some showers.

17 miles, 9 locks.  (209 miles, 132 locks)

September Cruise: Day 16

It was very murky this morning, with a not very promising forecast.  We set off about 8.30.  Napton windmill seems much more visible from this angle than it has been previously; I wonder whether some trees have been taken down.

Napton hire boats were returning to the base and reversing in, so we waited for one to do that while another waved us past before attempting it.  Then we passed Napton Junction.

Just after the junction we make a brief stop to go down the weedhatch, and got a handful, of weed off from round the propshaft.  Adrian was just pushing off the bow when he put his foot down a water-filled hole in the towpath, resulting in a wet boot and a grazed leg.  A bit further along, there’s so new piling going in.

In what seemed like short order, Braunston church came into view, and then we turned right at the junction.  After the junction was a black swan, a white swan, and a load of sizeable cygnets — so presumably the black and white swans are a family.

We stopped at the water point at the Stop House, and while the tank was filling there was a brief torrential downpour.  Then we pulled the boat back onto the moorings, tied up, and walked into the village where we had toasted sandwiches at the Community Cafe.  We returned via Midland Chandlers, so I could buy a tin of Crimson Lake paint for the handrails, as the current tin is completely empty.  Then we set off up the locks.  Once in the bottom lock we spotted a boat coming, so waited for it.  It was an ABC Diamond Resorts boat, with two couples who’d been from Gayton to Leamington and back — but seemed to have got so used to the candlestick paddles they’d forgotten how normal ones worked!  They were back in the swing of things by the top.  By now the sun was unexpectedly out.

We met boats coming down at the first four locks, and there was a surprise at the lock by the Nelson, when a couple about to have lunch recognised Adrian.  They turned out to be Braidbar owners he’d met at the Crick Show, whose boat will be ready in a couple of months.  At the top we led the way into the tunnel, and almost immediately met a boat.  The couple on board seemed to know me, but I didn’t catch who they were and didn’t see the boat name, so leave a comment if you read this.

We carried on to Norton Junction, and found a space just the right size before the junction bridge, with a nice view across the countryside.

11 miles, 6 locks.  (192 miles, 123 locks)

September Cruise: Day 15

It was very autumnal as we set off about 8am, and not in a particularly good way.  It was grey, a bit chilly, and blustery.

We made our way along the summit, through Fenny, and hardly saw another boat.  The HS2 works seem much more prominent when you’re going this way, with a huge embankment across the countryside, and the new bridge across the canal.  Then when the line passes close to the canal there are more concrete supports.

We got to the top of the locks at 12.15, and found ourselves seventh, yes seventh, in the queue.  It seems everyone was going our way, and all arrived at once.

We were there for about an hour, gradually moving along as boats went down.  We had our lunch on the towpath, while hanging on to the centre line.  Then it was our turn.

There was another queue for the third lock down, which has only one top paddle working.  The other problem was that with several pounds near the top where people moor, more boats kept joining the procession in front of us.  Still, it’s a very pretty flight, and the sun came out.  It was still very breezy at times though.

Today, the water buffalo were all walking purposefully across their field.

We got to the bottom in just under four hours, which is incredibly slow.  But we’d had nice chats with the people ahead, on a boat called Willow.  One uphill boat had a grey parrot in a cage on the stern.  I wanted to see if the Merlin bird song app could identify it — but the parrot talked rather than making bird noises, first saying ‘hello mate’, and then ‘let’s have a cup of tea’!

We moored up just round the corner from the bottom lock, where the towpath hedge was laden with blackberries.  It took out a container and soon filled it, so there will be apple and blackberry crumbles on the menu in the next few days.

13 miles, 9 locks.  (181 miles, 117 locks)

September Cruise: Day 14

The weather was a bit dull to start, when we set off at around 8.15.  The first lock, Grants, is the last that has the big single bottom gate.  It’s mitred pairs from Banbury northwards.

When we got to Banbury, we stopped on the water point to fill the tank, and got a wash load going.  Then it was up the lock which was ready for us, and through the lift bridge.

We passed Herbie moored a little further along, just as they were about to set off, then as we moored by the park Kath and Neil came by — so we managed two brief conversations.

We walked across the foot bridge and restocked the cupboards and fridge from Waitrose.  We had been running rather low on quite a lot of things.  When we set off again, we found a long queue at Hardwick Lock; it seemed CRT had been running water down to top up the Banbury pound, so no boats had been up for a while.  We were about fourth in the queue, and before long there were another three behind — and similar numbers waiting to come down.  It all took a while, but by the next lock the queue had dissipated.  The pound between Bourton Lock and Slat Mill Lock was very short of water, so it was more like ploughing than boating.  We were watched by cows when we reached the lock.

At Cropredy, everyone takes a photo of the lock cottage, but the house the other side of the bridge is, if anything, even nicer.

We made a brief pause while Adrian went to find a post box, then we carried on up Broadmoor, Varney’s, and Elkington’s Locks, mostly meeting people coming down.  We also met boats at the bottom couple of locks of the Claydon flight, but had run out of downhill boats by the middle lock.  The penultimate lock has an interesting temporary repair to the balance beam.

We knew the top lock had one paddle out of action, but couldn’t remember which end.  It turns out it’s both ends.  We moored on the end of the moorings just beyond the lock and bridge.

10 miles, 14 locks.  (168 miles, 108 locks)

September Cruise: Day 13

Our mooring last night turned out to be really lovely.  This morning there was more sunshine, although it was chilly to start.  We set off about 8.20 and were soon at Lower Heyford, where there are lots of moored boats.  The lift bridge here is electric, so Adrian had only to push the button.

Shortly afterwards, the church and tithe barn are up on the hill.

At Allens Lock a single hander on a share boat was ahead, and we saw his at each of the first few locks.  At Heyford Common Lock, a horse was looking over the parapet one side, and was then joined by another looking towards the lock.

By Bridge 199 is a nice house with a lovely garden, which includes a medieval-style gazebo.  It almost looks as though they’ve been having jousting contests.

As we passed the Somerton Meadows moorings, a boat pulled out behind us which we thought we recognised.  Talking to the people at the next lock, we found they volunteer at the Crick Boat Show; the chap was one of the moorings managers for several years.  At Somerton Deep Lock, the boat in front had trouble getting in because the gate doesn’t open fully — and we also had a real struggle to get in there.  I don’t think I’ve ever revved the engine so hard; we also had a top paddle open to try to give us a bit more depth, and three people pushing on the balance beam.  Consequently, there are no photos!

Aynho Weir Lock is one of the diamond shaped ones, designed to let extra water down.

Nell Bridge, immediately before the lock named after it, has at some point been covered by a road widening project.  We wondered if they’d been allowed to do something like this these days.

We stopped at lunchtime at The Pig Place — only to find they’re closed Tuesday to Thursday in the autumn.  The shop is also closed, so we couldn’t spend any money at all, and had to have lunch from our dwindling supplies.  The owner came to see us, to say it wasn’t worth opening midweek at this time of year — although as we were the second boat to stop, maybe it would have been.  To be fair, the opening times are on the website, but a closed sign on the moorings wouldn’t go amiss.

We passed under the M40 — and will do so twice more tomorrow.  Again the motorway bridge has a little lift bridge right in front of it that’s visible from the motorway if you know when to look.

Last lock of the day was Kings Sutton.  Just below the lock, the tree which was partially blocking the canal last week has been removed.  There was also a herd of young cattle all looking over the fence, which some of even lying down to eat.

We continued to Twyford Wharf and moored up just before the lift bridge.  There is the aroma of animal feed wafting across from the mill over the valley.

11 miles, 6 locks.  (158 miles, 94 locks)

September Cruise: Day 12

It’s been a very long and quite slow day!  We set off about 8.30 in more bright sunshine, immediately passing the huge caravan site just along from where we moored.

It’s much prettier when you’ve gone by all that lot.

At Pinkhill Lock a lock keeper came on duty while we were there.  At Eynsham Lock, a boat was coming out just as we arrived.  Then it was down to the junction with Duke’s Cut.  We were a couple of minutes too late, because a hire boat from the K&A had come out of King’s Lock and was making the turn into Duke’s Cut.

They proceeded at snails pace the whole way to Duke’s Cut Lock.  The top paddle on the lock isn’t working, so to fill the lock you just wait for leakage — it takes 10 or 15 mins.  It’s just a matter of waiting, not diverting as the sign there suggests (which would be pretty impossible to do at this stage anyway).

The hire boat turned right for Oxford.  We turned left, back onto the Oxford Canal heading north.  We followed boats up through the first couple of locks, and passed through Thrupp, where Adrian did the honours with the bridge.  When we got to Shipton Weir Lock, there was a queue ahead.

We were fourth in line.  The pound through Thrupp had felt rather low, and CRT had been running water through the lock to top it up from the River Cherwell.  Consequently, no-one had been through for an hour or so.  Everything seemed to take ages, because although it’s only a shallow lock, it’s wide so takes a fair amount of water.  We were probably there an hour, but at least the sun was shining.  We’d also heard reports of low water between Baker’s Lock and Pigeon Lock, and the pound was well down.  It meant those couple of miles took ages.  Then, as we knew from last week, Pigeon Lock takes at least 10 mins to fill because only one top paddle is working.  The pound above was also a bit down, and we’d been advised to go up another lock before mooring.  In the event, we ended up doing two more, because we didn’t see anywhere we liked the look of.  Eventually, up Dashwoods Lock and through the next bridge, a spot presented itself.  We have the trains for company, but that’s true all along here.

We had been on the move for ten hours, as it was almost 6.30 when we moored.  But because of all the delays.

17 miles, 11 locks.  (147 miles, 88 locks)

September Cruise: Day 11

Another lovely mooring and another sunny morning.  We set off about 8.15.

There are a few houses along the river at Eaton Hastings, and we particularly liked this one with a lovely extension and a launch moored outside.

The first lock, Grafton, was on self service.  It’s pretty, as are all the locks on the upper Thames.

Radcot lock has a cottage dating from 1986, rather than the much older houses the other locks have.

At Rushey Lock, Adrian went to work the lock and found a single hander waiting below for someone to help him through.  It turned out there was also a very nice lady lock keeper on, who worked him up and then us down.  The sharp bends in this area seem harder work going with the flow of the river; sometimes you feel the current catch the boat and try to push it into the bank.  There are plenty of wartime pill boxes along the river too.  Near Chimney there’s a nature reserve which has both a pill box and a bird hide.

We stopped above Shifford Lock for water, where the very fast tap filled the tank in no time.  We also got a wash load going.  Shifford Lock is the deepest up here, at just over 7ft.

After Newbridge, there were dozens of teenagers walking the Thames path with their camping gear on their backs.  One group towards the back asked me how far it was the pub at Newbridge, and were totally dismayed when I said it was about a mile and a half!  There are some houses with boat houses along this stretch, and a very class rowing boat emerged from one of them.

Northmoor Lock had a volunteer lock keeper on duty.  We moored up at about 2pm on the moorings at Bablock Hythe.  We decided not to go further because there are only a couple of moorings above Pinkhill Lock, and the ones on Eynsham meadows were full of what looked like pretty permanently moored boats when we came up the other day.  It had clouded over as the day went on, and not long after we stopped there was a brief rain shower.

16 miles, 5 locks.  (130 miles, 77 locks)