On Monday morning we dealt with the services again at Anderton, including washing the Boat, as after been moored under trees for a couple of days, it definitely needed a wash. We cruised back to Middlewich, mostly in the rain but was still an enjoyable cruise, (Nic wasn’t so sure!). We did pass a group of Ukulele players in a canalside pub marquee giving a rendition of the Proclaimers 500 miles, that raised a smile.
Mooring up in Middlewich to meet good friends inside the Big Lock pub for lunch on Tuesday. It was lovely to have visitors on the boat for the first time, we had a glass of fizz to celebrate!
The plan was then to drive to Pocklington (“Pock” our home town) on Thursday to see family, however, whilst enjoying a morning cup of tea on Wednesday, Nic spotted that Thursday’s weather forecast was horrible. As we had to do some shopping, unload the boat, do services and move the boat again before being able to drive back to Pock, we decided to change the plans and do all that on Wednesday and drive back to Pock that day.
Roger also got a text from the GP to book his second Covid Jab early, perfect timing, as would be back in Pock.
On the drive back to Pock the van behaved itself, so hopefully all fixed.
After so long, it has been wonderful to see all our families, in person instead of on a video screen.
Those of you who follow on Instagram will have noticed we have not managed to post everyday this week. Also we have not brought the correct cables with us to be able to upload the photos to the blog. We will add them next week.
We have spent this week between Middlewich and Anderton, cruising 7.5 miles on Monday to get to Anderton, On Tuesday walked through Marbury Park before a Storm that evening. We have never heard thunder like it, probably being in a tin box on water increased our perception of it?
On Wednesday we turned around back towards Middlewich, but didn’t get far, only a couple of miles to Marston, and then more walks around Neumann’s Flash & Ashton’s Flash (a Flash is a big pond, which appears to be something to do with the old salt works there). Lots of good paths and bird hides, although one was significantly plagued by midges!
Also walked in to Northwich, really good footpaths, well maintained and signposted. In Northwich we saw the Local Fire Brigade trying to rescue something (??) from a roof top using a large crane – it didn’t look successful. Northwich is a mix of old timber buildings and new shops, looks like a lot of money has been spent recently upgrading the town. We ate our sandwiches in an area which had been beautifully hard landscaped, but had yet to have any plants added!
On Saturday we turned around again to head back to Anderton, to use the facilities, as they are better/easier than the ones in Middlewich. Rewarded with our first glimpse of a kingfisher as we motored alongside Marbury Country Park again.
On Sunday we had another long walk along the Trent & Mersey Canal (past Anderton) down on to the Weaver Navigation (which connects with the Anderton Boat Lift), a lovely walk and we saw a couple of great crested grebes.
Have spent the week dodging the weather, have not got too wet, but the waterproofs are always close at hand.
We understand that not everybody who reads this blog has access to Instagram, so we’ll include all of this week’s Instagram phots at the bottom of this blog. (we try to do a photo each day, some days are easier than other)
This Week
Total
Locks
0
109
Miles Cruised (approx.)
13
200
Bramble Cutting on the Trent & MerseyMarbury Country ParkNeumann’s Flashes, Nr MarstonTree !Heron in flightThe Anderton Boat Lift between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Weaver Navigation
For our first few weeks of cruising, after lockdown was lifted, we have enjoyed good boating weather, by good we mean no rain during the day, and not a lot of wind, as trying to manoeuvre a 57ft boat in a strong cross wind is challenging, especially in to small locks where you only have a couple of inches at each side to “play with”.
However, this week’s weather has not been so accommodating we have had lots of rain and wind, so much, that for a couple of days we have not moved, and on other days not moved far.
We continued up the Trent & Mersey canal to Middlewich, meeting famous names en route. The boat that appears in Peaky Blinders … no we hadn’t seen it either! Then at a lock in Middlewich, Dave Myers of Hairy Biker, this week Hairy Boater, fame!
Our van has been ready for a couple of weeks, so thought it best to go and collect it. So, after much planning (which is the best train station to be near?) and re-planning, (at 8pm on Friday evening, oh Saturday’s train ticket is half the price of Monday’s) on Saturday Rog got a Bus to Winsford, a train to Coventry via Wolverhampton, then walked to the Garage.
We left the Coventry basin on 2 April, five weeks ago, this time, Rog drove from Coventry back to Middlewich in less than 2hrs in atrocious weather! Switching from 3mph on the canal to 70mph on the Motorway as a little shock to the system, but also a reminder we are living up to the boat’s name and doing “life in slow motion”.
The van appears to be all fixed, and is now parked in Middlewich Boats carpark for the next 10 days, before we go back to Pocklington for a visit after the 17 May when Covid restrictions are relaxed a little further.
We forgot to put the Locks & Miles in last weeks blog, so below is a catch up!
Today we have also done our first single wide lock for two boats, aptly named the “big lock” in Middlewich, but we were on our own in the lock, this time.
We use various maps and guides to help us navigate the canals:
Inland Waterways of Great Britain – a useful Christmas present, gives a good overview of the canal network, a bit of history, which canals join with each other, overall distances, number of locks, it’s a handy book but has no day to day detail on water points etc.
Nicholson’s Guides (thanks Alan & Liz) – about 20 years old as on 200 year old canals what can change, right ? well so far a few bridge numbers, no problem, but we have been caught out once with a sanitary/water point – which was on the map but no longer there, the Canal & River Trust office had moved from the Fradley Junction and taken their services with them. No great problem we motored on to the next one.
Open Canal App is a good app for the canal- up to date water points, navigation updates (i.e. avoid the lump of concrete near bridge X). This app has also been great for walks from the canals, showing all the local footpaths.
Canal & River Trust website for updates on closures of canals, so far plans that have changed are that we can’t visit the Macclesfield canal as it is currently closed until at least end of June.
Google Maps for finding shops/supermarkets, walking around towns/cities
J.M Pearson & Sons Ltd – Canal Companion 4 Counties and Trent & Mersey Canal – this has by far been the most entertaining guide for example it describes the Caldon Canal “Running through the upper valley of the Trent, a narrow lacklustre stream …… the Caldon Canal struggles to extricate itself from the urbanisation of The Potteries” and “Beyond Cheddleton the enchantment deepens as the Caldon engenders an almost Amazonian sense of solitude …” the Caldon Canal is pleasantly rural, with plenty of narrow twisty bits for a challenging drive, the Amazon it is not.
We did both arms of the Caldon to Leek and Froghall – “Life in Slow Motion” is too tall to go through the Froghall tunnel, so we walked the last 200 metres, to Hetty’s Tearoom to buy Cake!
Another really quite canal, not many boat and lots of wildlife, including an evening watching bats flying around the boat at Park Lane.
Then back down to Stoke on Trent to re-join the Trent & Mersey Canal, and on to the Harecastle tunnel, 2926 yards long, got through mostly in one piece, however we did leave a little bit of paint in the tunnel!
First visit to the trip to a Lidl in Kidsgrove and beer at 33 pence per stubbie (1p cheaper than Aldi), and purely in the interest of research had to buy some, they are also pretty good.
This morning (Sunday) we realised that the water level was dropping in our section of the canal. As Rog left his granola to go and investigate, he spoke to a woman who reported that a lock pound further along had been completely empty, so she was filling and emptying locks from our part of the canal to remedy this. It was not long before a man from the Canal and River Trust was on hand to make sure that all was well. There is never a dull moment.
The weather forecast is rubbish for the next few days, well it is a Bank Holiday! So we have now moored up below the Red Bull Lock flight (named after the pub, not the energy drink!). Hot showers and other boater facilities here which is another attraction.
Monday we walked from the canal to King’s Bromley, the Open Canal App shows local footpaths, the one to King’s Bromley was not very well used and at one point we were worrying about not being on the correct path, fighting brambles (Rog has the scars on his legs to prove the tussle), straight across a field with no signs of a path, but once we got to the other side there was a very old weather worn footpath sign, so thankfully we were in the right place.
Tuesday we motored on to Rugeley for some shopping, found another Aldi a short walk from the canal, which felt like a long walk back after stocking up in Aldi, including small 250ml stubby beers for 34p each !!
Finished the day at Great Heywood Junction (the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal joins the Trent & Mersey Canal), we stayed on the Trent & Mersey.
Wednesday walked around the grounds of Shugborough Hall, a National Trust property, which was the Earl of Lichfield’s (as in Patrick Lichfield the Photographer). Nice Gardens.
Thursday we did all of 3 miles to Weston on Trent, so we could go to the Saracen’s Head pub, as it was 26 years since we first met. It was their burger night, first time we have eaten off the boat, outside in a large marque, socially distanced tables, and good burgers.
Friday moved the Boat another 2 miles and moored up for coffee, but decided to stay the night, had a 4 mile walk to Aston, across land owned by Severn Trent Water, well maintained footpaths and more wildlife, including lapwings.
Saturday moved again, up to Stone, a reasonably quiet day, caught up with family and friends via various types of technology, Skype, WhatsApp, Facetime.
Sunday, met the fuel boat again, this time for diesel, we have had the engine running for 71hrs (Marine engines measure time not distance) since we last filled up, and it took 80 litres, so not bad going!
Then our longest cruising day to date, 9 miles and 13 locks (including our 1st Staircase of two locks – straight out of one lock into the next) turned on the Caldon Canal and finished the day in Hanley Park in Stoke on Trent.
We can’t believe that tomorrow we will have been aboard 6 weeks, where is the time going!
It’s not all sitting around drinking coffee, tea, G&T/Beer (depending on the time of day) there are always domestic chores to be do, for example this week:
Monday
There are weekly checks on the engine to be done, which we do on a Monday, two dip sticks to check, which sounds very quick and easy, which it is really, but we do have to take up the floor and step in the engine compartment, just to get to the engine, then check the dip sticks, one is easy to get to, the other one is slightly more challenging.
Also need to check the coolant reservoirs and top up as required, again relatively easy to do.
Make sure the bilges are ok, not collecting more water/oil/grot
Emptied one of the two loo cassettes.
A shopping trip to the local Aldi, about 1 mile from the canal along Watling Street, the A5 a rucksack each to carry back all the shopping, deserved a beer in the Lime Kilns pub beer garden, being the first day of lockdown lifting.
Tuesday
As we have been onboard a month, and the Ashby Canal had quite a lot of floating debris on it, thought it best to check the weed hatch to make sure the propeller is running free and not collected stuff. To reach, the floor hatch is lifted, a large safety bracket removed (basically the weed hatch is a big hole in the bottom of the boat, and if the propeller is used whilst the weed hatch is not secure the boat sinks!! ).
Two options to check the propeller, climb in to the engine compartment, or a good contorted stretch, Rog managed the latter, and hand down to feel the propeller, not to bad, no weeds … hang on there is something, wrapped around the propeller …… hand turn the propeller and a good yank …. A pair of black frilly knickers (we kid you not !) – the glamorous life of boaters
After 10 mins of cruising had a paranoid check the weed hatch, to make sure we’d put it back in place properly, thankfully all ok.
Wednesday
Emptied a loo cassette, as we were passing a sanitary station.
Filled up with water at the old British Waterways Board (Now Canal & River Trust) Hartshill Yard.
Did 11 locks today in Atherstone, using our new ratchet windlass, thanks to Ant and Camilla for this useful gift!… which worked well. Had help from Canal & River Trust volunteer lock keepers, a great help most of the locks were set in our favour.
Flagged down the Fuel Boat (another first for us) and bought coal for the fire.
Walked into Polesworth to buy some milk
Rog had a haircut and beard trim sat on the tow path, thankfully with nobody walking past.
Thursday
Rog swept and washed the gullies on the roof and one side of the boat (the side on the tow path) the other side can wait until we moor on that side.
Nic made a batch of granola.
Friday
A laundrette in Tamworth!
Cruised on to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal (our fourth canal).
Despite lockdown lifting, it has still been relatively quiet on the canals, not that many boats moving.
Saturday
On to a bit of the Coventry canal, which is separated from the other bit of the Coventry Canal by the Birmingham & Fazeley canal, something to do with Coventry Canal company running out of money whilst building it. Just to add confusion there are two junctions, the Fazeley Junction and the Fradley Junction.
Our 1st swing bridge at the top of the Coventry then a left turn on to the Trent & Mersey Canal (5th Canal)
Water and Sanitary stop again
A good walk to the local village to buy more milk (not quite sure what Nic is going to do with the 4 litres of milk we now have).
Sunday
Cycled to Lichfield, lovely Medieval city, saw the cathedral, had an ice cream, a picnic in Beacon Park, the cycled back, some of the way on the canal tow path.
We have spent all this week on the Ashby Canal, a rural 22 mile canal that runs off the Coventry Canal, but was never finished, it was supposed to run for 30 miles and join with the Trent and Mersey Canal, therefore it is a “there & back” trip, with no locks.
The last six miles of the canal are a Site of Special Scientific Interest (“SSSI”) and the highlights of this week have been the wildlife. Robins get the prize for being the most abundant, closely followed by Ducks, including three broods of ducklings and Wood Pigeons, but we have also seen a Jay, Geese (Canada & Graylag), Kestrel, Buzzards, Partridge, Pheasant, and lots more.
Whilst walking the tow path, we even managed a prolonged viewing of a Water Vole, it climbed out of the water, approached us along a piece of wood, then appeared to sit and watch us, before returning to the canal and swimming to the other side (at a surprising speed, for a little guy).
We have also started the silly place name competition, with the first entry being “Barton in the Beans” (see Instagram for a photo!). A village just outside Market Bosworth, as in the Battle of Bosworth Field. Where Richard III (yes, the one found buried in a carpark in Leicester) lost to Henry VII (Henry VIII’s father). We also stumbled across Crown Hill in Stoke Golding, where Henry VII was crowned (according to the Blue Plaque put up by The Charity of Thomas Barton, which was established in 1400, the year…. not mid-yesterday afternoon, and is still going for the benefit of the people of Stoke Golding!!)
Tomorrow the canals can welcome back boaters who are not full time living on board and who are hiring from boatyards, this will be an interesting week for sure. We might also be able to get a socially distanced pint in a pub garden too! Watch this space.
So as promised last week, we’ll give a tour of the outside of “Life in Slow Motion”, starting with the front ….. pointy end ….. bow.
The headlight and gas locker are right at the front.
Then a cratch cover, inside is a couple of lockers, a good place to keep beer cold, oh and fruit & veg.
Above the lounge is the chimney, the smokeless fuel store for the burner and a roof box
Followed by the solar panel
The bikes, after taking off a pedal and the front wheel.
The rear, stern, with a couple of stools, just at the wrong height for Nic, the rudder and access to the inside.
The view from the stern
The Saga of the van continues…..
We booked it in to Allen Ford in Coventry on Thursday 1 April, after it developed a similar fault to the one we had before we left the island, so we moved the boat to Coventry Basin, so Rog could get the train back to Rugby, where the van has been stored, and bring it back to the garage. Mission accomplished on Wednesday, dropped the van off.
So Thursday got the call from the garage, they couldn’t find anything wrong but reconfigured the software and all should be good. So return journey, drive the van back to Rugby… etc. However, about 8 miles from the garage, same problem if not a worse loss of power, so ring the garage … ended up with the AA, who reset the fuel injector twice on the drive back to the garage whilst following me to make sure it got there. Final reset failed and he decided to tow me the last three miles. Bear in mind our van is a long wheel base, high top ford transit and the AA van was a short wheeled based, standard top, VW transported, so we looked a little strange J. But we got there! (April fool anyone!)
The garage can’t do anything for at least three weeks, so have agreed with them that we are not in a rush for the van and they have agreed to keep it until they can do the work. Result – free parking for the Van J
Actual Canal update
We moved for water and sanitation to Hawksbury Junction (aka Sutton Stop), where the Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal, and no surprises (see van saga!) that we then went in to Coventry, moored for 3 nights and returned back up the Coventry Canal to just north of Sutton Stop.
Enjoyed a couple of good walks around the city of Coventry, including the cathedral and the medieval buildings of Spon street. Found a couple of great food shops right next to our mooring, one Portuguese and one Baltic. Excellent Chorizo sandwiches with Portuguese Beers went down well after the van delivery.
In Coventry, we also had the adventure of going to a launderette for the first time in about 30 years (Nic) first time ever (Rog)! Lovely chat with the owner who says his business is 2/3 down post Covid…..where are the people of Coventry getting their clothes cleaned ?!
Stopping at Sutton stop for lunch /sanitation we witnessed the unfolding drama of a police chase with helicopter of a couple of scooters, including one down the canal towpath, narrowly avoiding walkers. What happened to life in slow motion !
A tour of the inside of our home for the next 6 months, So starting at the front we have a solid fuel burner, which also runs the radiators
Then moving down the boat, a sitting area, including a TV which we have no intention of using (there is no aerial!)
Next the kitchen/galley, a new fridge freezer, good cooker – Nic is very happy. Still haven’t had to change the gas bottle.
Followed by dining area, which converts to a spare bed.
Bathroom, yes that is New York Subway, Taxis and the Statue of Liberty on the wall paper ??
The Bedroom.
Finally the Engine Bay.
This week we have had to move, within the Covid rules, every few days for diesel, solid fuel, water and sanitation, only once caught out by the rain! We have covered all of 8.5 miles of distance, which did involve turning over the page in the Nicholson’s Guide (Canal map).
We cycled further than that yesterday, after re-assembling the bikes. In order that the bikes lay as flat as possible on the top of the boat, we have taken a pedal off each bike and twisted the handle bars, you’ll see them on next week’s blog, as we should probably include a tour of the outside of the boat.
Nic has learnt that the water pump on the bath/shower only works when you take the plug out !
We have had super walks every day this week, We are currently moored close, but not too close to where a railway line crosses the M6 motorway, just east of junction 2.
