Seasons Greetings

The marina froze over during the recent cold spell giving us our first taste of winter weather.  We watched with amusement as the marina ducks skated to a halt after flying across for some scraps.   Our stove kept us warm enough but we hadn't topped up our water tank and the taps were out of action.  Luckily there was a quick thaw and this didn't cause us any problems but it was a timely reminder. 

Christmas is fast approaching and we enjoyed another weekend trip visiting friends and family.  First stop was Viking Marina and where we enjoyed a good chat with John, Cath and the kids.  Mary-Anne & Donald showed us the progress they've made with the fit-out of their new narrowboat - they've been busy since we last saw them.  We were also lucky to see some of the other guys - Dave, Steve and Brian.  

Then onto Rotherham where Bess was delighted to see Georgie at Nic and Gaz's but not so happy to be left when we went to meet Pat and Karl at the Orient Express, our favourite Asian restaurant.   

Georgie poses for the camera but Bess would rather carry on playing.  

We stopped overnight with Nic and Gaz and on Sunday morning the kids introduced us to Wii.  We were quickly hooked and had some fun trying out the fitness games.  

Our trip was completed with a visit to see Shaun, Laura and the kids before returning to Tattenhall. 

There has now been over 1000 page views on the blog which is an impressive following.  We hope you continue to enjoy the blog next year and wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Cheshire

During our journey it's been interesting to travel through different regions, all with their own characteristics.  The landscape, industries and architecture have all been distinctive and as we called in the shops we noticed the changing local accents.   Tattenhall Marina is situated in rural Cheshire overlooked by Beeston and Peckforton Castles which are perched on the Cheshire Sandstone Ridge.  The local architecture reflects the prosperity of the county.  Ornate red brick buildings, some with barley sugar chimneys, are typical of the towns and villages we've visited. 

On a bright sunny day we went for a walk along part of the Sandstone Trail footpath.  The steep walk through the woodland up to the ridge was very different to the flat towpaths.  We soon had to stop to admire the view and catch our breath!  The view from the top over the Cheshire Plains was stunning and worth the climb. 

Bess looking a bit apprehensive about posing on the edge.

This undemanding lifestyle gives me time to pursue my interests, one of which is drawing and painting.   For several years now Mum, Sarah and I have been regularly setting ourselves a topic for an artwork and set a date to reveal the finished pieces.  On the day of showing we usually send each other an email with a photo of the picture and so Mum gave our challenges a name - OLAs (On Line Art).   

The topic for the picture below is 'Four Squares' which I've interpreted as 4 coloured ink squares in a pencil drawing of Castle Coombe.    

Mum had a special birthday this week, her 80th.  Sarah came over and we all stayed at Mum and Dad's to enjoy a family weekend which included an excellent lunch at the Red Lion in Dodleston.   

Sea-side

Winter is a new challenge for us - our previous experience of Brent III in winter is limited to bright frosty weekends which were always very enjoyable.   One of the main concerns for a boater is condensation which can quickly build up in the confined space.  Good ventilation is the resolution and so far this seems to be working for us.  

My other concern was drying the washing.  There are tumble dryers on the marina but using them every time would be expensive.  As we cannot use the washing line the wheelhouse has been taken over as a drying area.  This works very well especially on a windy day with the back doors open.   

Since my last blog the weather has turned and our waterproofs are being put to good use.  As Bess didn't have a jacket we took her to buy one and she wasn't the only dog trying on coats in Pets at Home that morning.  

Bess in her new coat

Bess isn't the only one with new attire, I've bought a bright pink cycling helmet but there are no photos of that for the blog!

The coast of North Wales isn’t far from Tattenhall so we decided to take Bess on her first trip to the seaside.  The beaches of Prestatyn were deserted and Bess enjoyed chasing across the sand but she wasn’t so sure about the sea.   

The seaweed looks interesting. 

Not sure about that wave.

Bess avoided getting wet in the sea but the next day she had a soaking.   As we were setting off for a walk she stepped back off the jetty and went straight into the water.   She soon dried out in front of the stove and enjoyed a drink of warm sweet tea but hopefully she’ll watch her step in future.

Shaun, Laura and the kids were lucky with the weather when they came to visit us on Sunday.  We enjoyed a walk around the ice cream farm looking at the animals, the goats and miniature horses were very friendly and stood to be petted.  Of course some of us couldn't resist sampling an ice cream.  As always we enjoyed the visit, chatting and catching up with all the news.   

Since the weekend we've had some heavy rain but fortunately we've not been affected by high water or floods.  During the bad weather we battened down the hatches and stoked up the fire.  There is now plenty of time for relaxing and occasionally tackling those little jobs which need doing.

Faster Travel

Dad's car gave us the freedom to travel but also a slight culture shock.  30mph seems very fast compared to our sedate 3mph on the canals.  Kev decided a smartphone would be useful and so we drove into Chester, the car park fee was another shock.   The salesman was perhaps surprised by our main reason for a smartphone - the maps and GPS to guide us when we're back on foot and trying to find a shop.  We opted for a Nokia Lumia and although we've spent some time with it there are still some features which have us perplexed.       

On Monday we ventured out onto the motorways and drove back to our starting point at Goole.   Before arriving at Tattenhall Marina we received an email from Sue at Viking Marina.  Sue and John have always provided an excellent service and did so again with our faulty battery monitor.  They liaised with the manufacturer and had now received a replacement monitor for us.   On arrival at the marina Bess raced excitedly up the stairs into the chandlery.  We enjoyed a chat and cup of tea with Sue and John, were pleased to see Ray and Anita who called in and then it was time to continue our journey to Rotherham.

As soon as we arrived at Nic and Gaz's house Bess and Georgie, Nic's staffie, started an energetic game.  I don't think Bess was too upset when we slipped out leaving her behind, especially as she got a walk in the park.  

We met up with Pat and Karl for a meal at a favourite Chinese restaurant.  Pat and Karl started our adventure by selling Brent III to us and it was great to see them.  The conversation flowed and all too soon it was time to go.  

Nic and Gaz had kindly offered to put us up overnight, a good ending to the day.  We were very impressed by their log burning fire which radiated an enormous amount of heat.

On Tuesday we returned to Tattenhall.  There were roadworks on the Woodhead Pass, a good excuse to take the scenic route and call in for fish and chips at Compo's in Holmfirth.  

Back on board Kev tackled some maintenance work including replacing the interior lights - again.  Before starting the cruise we replaced the fluorescent lights with low consumption LEDs bought for a bargain price off eBay.  Initially the lights worked well but we soon noticed blocks within the lights had stopped working.  It transpired the bargain lights did not tolerate voltage fluctuations.  Kev has now installed LEDS with a higher tolerance and they also give a better quality light.  A lesson learnt about bargains which appear to good to be true!

Tattenhall Marina

Tattenhall Marina has moorings for over 300 boats but is not full to capacity.  We picked a jetty and sailed round to our temporary winter home.  Hooking up to shore power enabled us to use our appliances without concern for the batteries which have been running low lately.  They will benefit from a long charge now we are moored up. 

This marina has only been open for about 4 years and it still shows as a field on Google Earth.   The field has been transformed into well kept grounds with paths and roads to all the jetties.  It has all the facilities we require including underfloor heating in the showers, very luxurious. 

We settled in, Kev slotted the TV aerial into it's bracket and I filled the whirly-gig on the roof with a load of washing.  Shortly after a member of staff came to see us.  We had unknowingly broken 2 of the marina's rules.  Our TV aerial was taller than the regulation 3 feet above the roof and washing cannot be hung out.  Whoops!  The washing came in but we're allowed to keep the aerial up.  We were also given a copy of the marina's 38 rules before we broke anymore!

Tattenhall Marina.  Brent III is in the centre of the photo.  The white bridge on the far side is the entrance into the marina from the canal.

Tattenhall village is 1.5 miles away and has a selection of shops including a small supermarket and a butchers which will be useful.  Travelling through Shropshire and Cheshire we have been surprised how many of the small villages have butchers and their meat has always been excellent.  As we were ready for a big shop we ordered on-line from ASDA who deliver to the marina. 

Closer at hand is the Cheshire Farms Ice Cream Farm.  This is a local attraction with playgrounds and activities, a children's farm, gift shop and an ice cream parlour.  A multitude of flavours are on sale, how many can I sample before we move on?  I started with chocolate fudge cookie and a walk round the animals including Elvis the fallow deer and two woolly alpacas. 

We took a taxi over to Mum and Dad's in Chester and enjoyed spending the day with them.  There was plenty to talk about and Mum cooked a favourite meal for lunch.  Dad has kindly lent us his car for the winter which will be very useful and make a big difference to our stay at Tattenhall. 

Visitors

For many schools it was half term last week and we noticed an increase in the number of hire  boats on the canal.   For us the week was special because we had some visitors.

Sarah joined us at Nantwich and we enjoyed walking round the town with it's old timbered buildings and a look round St Mary's Church.  This church has a magnificent modern stained glass window, The Creation Window, in memory of a local farmer.  It also has an active tapestry group and fine examples of their work is found on the kneelers, altar cloth and wall hangings.  Sarah stopped overnight so we had time for a good chinwag!

The beautiful Creation Window in St Mary's Church.

    From Nantwich we moved onto Barbridge Junction where the Middlewich branch connects the Shropshire Union to the Trent and Mersey Canal.  We were accompanied for a while by a kingfisher, a flash of electric blue skimming the water and perching on branches until we were almost level, then off he'd go again.

On Friday Nic, Gaz and the kids drove down to see us bringing some logs to replenish our stock.  We enjoyed seeing them and having a good chat to catch up with all their news.  

Bunbury Locks are the first wide locks we've seen since Burton on Trent and are also staircase locks.  The top and bottom lock share the middle lock gate so as we came down the top lock emptied straight into the bottom lock.  

As we approached Tilstone Lock we could see there was a problem.  Various Canal & River Trust staff were on the banks and a work boat was in the lock attempting to lift out a large piece of ironwork.   Apparently this was the buffer bar which had been damaged.  We chatted to the staff while the bar was manoeuvred  precariously onto the work boat.  The staff were very apologetic for the delay but we were soon on our way. 

On Sunday we approached our winter moorings at Tattenhall Marina.  We were early but we decided we would moor up rather than continue on to Chester to turn round and come back.     

Bess enjoys sitting on the front step by the stove in cold weather.

Our journey from Coole Lane to Tattenhall Marina.  Since leaving Viking Marina we have travelled 308 miles and come through 94 locks.

Descent

Our journey continued through rural Shropshire and the canal remains at a constant level by the use of increasingly spectacular embankments and cuttings.  Shelmore Embankment is nearly a mile long and in places stands 59 feet above the land to the west.   Through Woodseaves Cutting the steep sides tower above us along it's 1.5 mile length.  We are reminded of the challenges of creating these cuttings when we passed a landslip which obstructed the canal earlier in the year.   There is still some debris in the canal but the remaining channel is wide enough for boat traffic.   

Deep cuttings require tall bridges but High Bridge is unusual.  It was built with a bracing arch  which has since made a convenient site for a telegraph pole.   

High Bridge but Bess is more interested in the canal-side.

By Tuesday we've sailed 24 miles along the Shropshire Union and have only come down 2 locks.  This week it's payback time. 

After descending 33 feet through the 5 Tyrley Locks we moored up at Market Drayton ready for market day on Wednesday.  Market Drayton is a picturesque town with some old timbered buildings which replaced the original buildings destroyed by fire in 1651.  Sadly many of the shops in the town stood empty but the market was impressive, stalls lined the wide streets and open spaces selling a variety of goods.

During our travels I've been trying to identify the birds we see.   Easily identifiable but unexpected were a pair of mandarin ducks who came for bread with the mallards at Market Drayton.  

Our next descent was 31 feet through 5 locks at Adderley with a good mooring at the bottom.  We stopped overnight because the first of 15 locks in the Audlem flight is just a mile further on. 

The 15 locks lower the canal by 93 feet and are separated by short stretches of canal called pounds.  These allow us to pass boats coming up and reduces the amount of work.  The gates are left open for the approaching boat and the boaters help each other to wind up the paddles to empty or fill the locks.  We were lucky, the locks were busy as we descended and as well as having some assistance there is time for a chat with the other boaters. 

Audlem village visitor moorings start after lock 11 and so we moored up for a day and then stayed another.  We called in at the canal-side pub, the Shroppie Fly.  A flyboat was the horse drawn canal equivalent of express delivery.  The bar in the pub is a replica of the front half of a flyboat, complete with a fender.  

Moored up at Audlem - the pound between locks 10 and 11 is in the foreground.   Brent III's wheelhouse is an unusual sight on this canal.  

This morning we came down through the remaining 4 Audlem Locks and continued on to the visitor moorings at Coole Lane Bridge.  This week we've descended 157 feet through 25 locks.

Our journey from Gnosall to Coole Lane Bridge.  

Tranquil Waters

On Sunday morning a hard frost covered the roof in ice and fog obscured our view.  Time to retrieve the winter woollies from the vacuum bags.  During the day 6 locks took us up 54 feet to approximately 340 feet above sea level.   The next locks will be on the Shropshire Union which take us back down so this is the highest point on our journey to Chester.  

At Gailey Lock a round house made an interesting scene for a pencil drawing.   

As we reached the outskirts of Wolverhampton the canal cuts through red sandstone and narrows to just one boat width with passing places.  Luckily we don't need to use the passing places.

Narrow channel is just wide enough for one boat

Shortly after emerging from the narrows we reached Autherley Junction and turned onto the Shropshire Union canal, signposted Chester. 

The Shropshire Union flows tranquilly through woods, farmland and the occasional village.  During the week we travelled along the bottom of steep sided cuts spanned by tall elegant bridges and on top of high embankments overlooking the countryside.  The height of the canal remains at the same level so there are very few locks but there is a tunnel.  Cowley Tunnel, at 81 yards long, is our first tunnel.   We had a spot lamp ready but it was surplus to requirements, the tunnel was straight and we could see clearly through to the other end. 

The northern entrance to Cowley Tunnel

At Gnosall (pronounced knows all) we moored up to catch up with some chores, even in this idyllic lifestyle the oven needs cleaning.  We enjoyed a meal at the Chinese Evening in the Boat Inn and bought supplies at the village shops.  The friendly butcher spotted Bess waiting outside with Kev and gave me a sausage roll for her!

Our route from Penkridge to Gnosall - a shorter distance as the crow flies!

Winter Moorings

Our journey from Alrewas was slow.  Brent III has a deep draft and in places we dragged along the bottom.  A sudden banging from down below and a loss of power indicated something had caught on our propeller.  Brent III has a weed hatch which opens to give access to the prop when this occurs.  Unfortunately whatever's tangled up can't be seen so with some trepidation Kev reached down into into the murky water.  Out comes an old towel and some strips of plastic.  

We are soon on our way again but can still hear some odd noises so at Fradley Junction we stopped to check it out.  All appears to be OK, it's probably down to the shallow water on this canal.  We take a walk down to the local which happens to sell real ale, not a bad way of spending a Monday afternoon.

At Armitage we passed through a narrow section only wide enough for one boat.  This used to be a tunnel until subsidence damaged the roof which was then removed.  The stretch still has the appearance of a tunnel with it's steep red sandstone sides and a road bridge which crosses obliquely over the top for most of the 130 yard length.  Luckily we can see through to the far side to check nothing is coming in the opposite direction before proceeding. 

Trees glowing with autumn glory brighten the canal side but the nights are drawing in and winter is fast approaching.  We want to be at Chester, close to my parents, for our first winter afloat and so book a winter mooring at Tattenhall Marina.  We have a choice of routes and decide to take the Staffs & Worcs canal and then onto the Shropshire Union.  

The Staffs & Worcs canal was one of the first canals of the Industrial Revolution and it meanders in a south-westerly direction towards Wolverhampton.  The quaint old locks have remained unchanged from the days of the horse drawn barges and ironwork bearing grooves from the tow ropes is still in place.  Bess and I took a walk with the camera to capture the view to use for drawings or paintings in future. 

Parkgate Bridge and Lock.  The towpath continues on the right to enable the horse to walk up to the top of the lock.   

Management of our electricity is an important part of this lifestyle.  Keeping the batteries topped up and limiting the use of power hungry appliances is good practice.  Earlier in the year we fitted a battery monitor which measures our power consumption and displays the remaining voltage.  A very useful device until it stopped working this week.  As we'd bought this from Viking Marine we rang John who helpfully advised us to send it back to him.  This doesn't affect out electric supply but we will need to be careful with our usage.

Our journey from Alrewas to Penkridge

Down with the Wheelhouse

The water levels on the Upper Trent reduced and we literally barged our way through the debris, including tree trunks, which had accumulated outside the lock gates.  

As we sailed onto the Trent and Mersey Canal we checked our Nicholson's guide, the boaters bible with maps and information about the Inland Waterways network.  Nicholson's advises the headroom is 7 feet and with our wheelhouse we are 7 feet 9 inches.  It is time to take it down for travelling.  

We had previously had a trial run but during this week we have fallen into a routine and can have the wheelhouse down in just over 5 minutes.   The windscreen and roof come forward and rest on the boat roof and the other windows fold down.  This is the first time we've travelled with the wheelhouse down and the experience is surprisingly different.  We enjoy standing out in the open and Bess has found the roof is ideal for watching the world go by.  

Brent III looks very different with the wheelhouse down.   

Bess enjoys looking out from the roof as we travel

We had another 'first' this week - sailing on the narrow canals.  I was surprised to see the narrow locks which are only a couple of inches wider then Brent III so precision steering is required.  An advantage is the tiny lock gates which are easier to open than those on the wider canals.  

A narrow bridge - just inches wider than Brent III

Alrewas may have an unpronounceable name but the old black and white cottages with their thatched roofs make this an interesting village to visit.  We moored up in this popular spot for the weekend and spent some time sat out on the front deck enjoying the sunshine.  Bess as always attracted a lot of attention, she certainly knows how to do 'cute'.  

Our route from Beeston to Alrewas travelling a short way each day.  

Monday Morning

Monday mornings should be a thing of the past but the 24th September proved to be our boating version.  Over the weekend our Honda generator stopped producing electricity in the middle of a big load in the washing machine.   The washing was finished by hand and luckily dried in the warm weather on Saturday.  The genny had to be returned to a supplier and not wishing to delay the repairs we set off for Nottingham in the pouring rain.  

Since leaving Torksey we have been looked after very well by the lock-keepers on the River Trent.  On the approach to the locks we've radioed ahead and the lockies have opened the gates, filled the locks and cheerfully sent us on our way.  Our first lock on this wet Monday revealed the locks were now unmanned and this service had ended.   Out with the windlass and waterproofs to go through the lock onto the Nottingham Canal.  

We walked the short distance, Kev carrying the generator, to Henton & Chattell whose staff were very helpful.  They looked at the genny while we dripped in their reception.  The cause of the problem was not apparent so we left it in their capable hands and continued towards Nottingham.   The canal has some very low bridges which we squeezed under, carefully checking our height as we went along.  Later we realised the heavy rain had increased the water levels in the canal thus reducing the available headroom.   

We moored up in Nottingham city centre and a continual flow of pedestrians with orange carrier bags indicated a Sainsbury's store was not far away.  In fact it was close enough to wheel the shopping trolley back to our mooring so we stocked up again!

I haven't visited Nottingham before and took the opportunity to have a look round.  The tall red brick buildings stand proud over the busy streets and the caves around the castle are fascinating.  I was surprised to see a medieval house for sale - would you get a mortgage on that?

Our water tank was running low so we moved on to Beeston Lock where we find the Upper Trent is in flood.   While waiting for the water levels to subside we hear our genny has been repaired.  I caught the train back to Nottingham to collect it.  The service provided by Henton & Chattell was excellent,  a replacement wiring loom was ordered and fitted in 5 days and they ordered a taxi for my return journey.  I highly recommend this friendly helpful firm.  

Moored up at Beeston Lock 

Our short journey from Holme Pierrepoint to Beeston Lock.

Birthday Weekend

Our next port of call is Newark, a market town with many interesting historic buildings and a formidable ruined castle overlooking the river.  It's also good for shopping and as there is a Morrisons in the town centre we took the opportunity to stock up on our supplies.  When it came to stowing them away I realised we'd perhaps overdone it but we won't starve. 

Kev has been looking forward to sampling real ales on our travels and a fellow boater recommended a pub, Just Beers.  This unique little pub only sells real ales.  Lagers, wines, spirits and even soft drinks were not available, it certainly lived up to it's name.  In the small interior we enjoyed a drink or two in the company of the locals who were surprisingly discussing their impressive success with grape vines.  

As we continued upstream the river banks were lower giving us a better view of the landscape.  Herds of cows watched us pass from the water's edge, some even wading into the shallows.  Looking ahead we could no longer see the bank on the right hand side and water was gushing over the edge.  This was Averham Weir.  For approximately 300 yards we sailed along with the water cascading over the weir to our right.   The view was amazing but we kept well away from the edge.  

Sailing past Averham Weir with water cascading down into a branch of the river.
 

Hazelford Island is renowned for it's blackberries and we were not disappointed.  Bramley apples were on board ready for this overnight mooring and we enjoyed a blackberry and apple pie.  

It was Kev's birthday over the weekend and we stopped at Holme Pierrepoint, the National Water Sports Centre.  We were moored up next to the white water course and watched canoeists performing tricks and somersaults into the rapids.  The bong of drums drew our attention to the dragon boat races being held on the long straight rowing lake.  These rowing boats are decorated with dragon's heads and tails and the crew rapidly paddle with short oars in time to the drum.  

An ornate dragon's head on one of the dragon boats

The highlight of the weekend was a visit from Nic, Gaz, Shaun, Laura and the grandkids.  The warm sun was a bonus, enabling us to sit out while the kids had a lot of fun.  The grappling iron and magnet were cast into the river in the hope of finding something valuable, there were walks and games with Bess and the boat horn was sounded on more than one occasion.  We really enjoyed seeing everyone for a lovely afternoon. 

Our route from Cromwell to Holme Peirrepoint.

  

Back on the Trent

From Boston we retraced our route back to Torksey where we went through the lock back onto the River Trent just before dark on Wed 12 Sept.  We stopped on the floating pontoons (jetties fixed to poles so they rise and fall with the tide) overnight.

The tides dictated another early start and at 6.20am we set off to get the best of the incoming tide upstream to Cromwell.  Unfortunately both the tide and the water levels were low.

We chugged along following the red line which indicates the safe channel on our Trent navigation chart.  Brent III suddenly slowed to a halt accompanied by the crunch of gravel under the hull.  We'd run aground!  

After pushing off the bow with the barge pole and rocking the stern she floated off quite quickly.  On checking the charts we hadn't strayed very far from the safe channel but the low water levels meant there was no room for error.  The rest of the journey was uneventful but I was pleased when we pulled into Cromwell Lock.

The moorings at Cromwell are in an isolated spot but they have a useful facility - electric points.   We can function without shore power, the inverter provides power for all our 240 volt appliances except the washing machine which has a delicate constitution.  Our Honda generator provides the pure sine wave electricity required by the washer but shore power is a bonus so the washer was kept going over the next two days and the weather obliged with the drying. 

During the week I started my first attempt at bead embroidery.  Tiny coloured beads are sewn onto the fabric to make up the design.  Sounds simple!   I plotted out a butterfly design on graph paper and retrieved the packs of beads from the many storage tubs on the bookcase. 

Invisible thread is used to sew on the beads, this is like a fine fishing line and the needle has to be very fine to pass through the beads.  Threading the tiny eye on the needle with the invisible thread is quite a challenge.  

I happily started sewing the beads onto the aida fabric but unfortunately this craft is harder than it looks. Unpicking invisible thread is virtually impossible.  I resorted to snipping them off which resulted in beads flying in all directions!  Progress is now being made but in future I'll probably stick to cross-stitch.   

Our route up the Trent from Torksey to Cromwell

An e-disaster

We left Lincoln and the Fossdyke navigation at the Stamp End Lock which is unusual because it has a guillotine gate.  At the press of a button the gate slowly rattles and creaks up   allowing us to enter the lock.   From here we are on the River Witham all the way to Boston.  

One of the reasons we decided to live this lifestyle is because it will give us more time for the things we want to do.  We are both keen to spend more time cooking and fancied trying traditional Cornish Pasties.  

A recipe was obtained from the internet and the ingredients included strong white bread flour for the pastry.  I haven't heard of using bread flour for pastry but apparently it would give the pastry strength to hold the filling and stay in shape.   The pasties were a joint effort - I mixed the pastry which took some effort to achieve the slightly elastic dough described.  This went into the fridge to rest while I went outside to do the same.  Kev chopped the filling ingredients following the quantities given.  

When we rolled out the pastry it became apparent we had more than double the amount of filling required.  I rolled the pastry as thin as I dared and we made up the pasties.  The pastry certainly was strong and held together during cooking but it was rock hard!  The next night we had the remaining filling in a pie with good old shortcrust pastry.   

The River Witham was straightened by the Romans and the result is a rather long and monotonous stretch into Boston but the trip was worthwhile.  The moorings at Boston are excellent and just a short walk from the town centre and an enormous Asda.  The Witham Way footpath follows the route of a disused railway line and an excellent country park meant Bess had plenty of interesting walks.

Boston is famous for St Botolph's Church and it's tower, the Stump.  We decided to go up the Stump which is 145 feet high at the balcony, a climb of over 200 steps .  We read the warning notices advising you not to go up unless your were in good health and feeling enthusiastic we went to pay.  The lady in the shop took our money and asked if we had a mobile phone.  Yes we had - that was good we could use it to ring the shop's phone number if we had an emergency!   How hard was this climb going to be?  The spiral staircase was steep and narrow but the view was well worth it.  Unfortunately I'd forgotten to take the camera with me but I wasn't going up again.

St Botolph taken from our back deck on the moorings at Boston

While we were in Boston I spent the vouchers my colleagues had generously given me for a leaving present.  I bought a Kobo e-reader which will be very useful on the trip - thank-you everyone.  

Back on board I fired up the laptop and was busy working on an email when the internet connection was suddenly lost.   I glanced up to the window ledge where I'd used blu-tack to fix the dongle to receive a better signal.  The dongle wasn't there - it had taken a nose dive into a cup of tea on the bookcase below.   It's surprising how much tea a dongle can hold.  After much shaking, blasting with switch cleaner and being left to dry overnight it was obvious the dongle wasn't going to recover.   Luckily there is a 3 Store in Boston and the next day I was able to buy a replacement which will not be suspended above cups of tea. 

Our route from Lincoln to Boston - the turquoise ovals are our mooring places.

Out of Familiar Waters

It has been a long running joke that we could not sail to Boston.  We've made several attempts that have all been thwarted for one reason or another.  The most notable was during  the 2007 floods which resulted in a 10 day stay at Saxilby until the water levels dropped and then it was time to return home.  Our first destination was therefore going to be Boston.

Thorne was to be our first stop as we had arranged to meet up with Cath & John and the kids for the weekend.  We also had an important date on Saturday – Shaun and Laura’s wedding.  So while we caught the train to Rotherham for the wedding Bess went to the Staniland’s Regatta with Cath & John.   On our return we enjoyed a meal at the Canal Tavern in Thorne and had a good evening before setting off the next day. 

From Thorne we sailed to Keadby, pleased to find all the notorious swing bridges were in good working order and did not cause us any problems.  On the approach to Keadby we noticed a thick covering of green weed, similar to duck weed.   From Keadby Lock we enter the River Trent which is tidal so the tides determine the time to go through the lock.  We were due to leave at 7am on Monday 3^rd September so the incoming tide would give us a helping push upstream to Torksey.

At the allotted time we entered the lock only to find the green weed had pushed in front of us to  create a buffer between the boat and the sides of the lock.  Two other narrowboats were following us in and the depth of the weed increased.  It was quite a struggle for the third boat to push through the weed and come alongside.  We would normally secure the boats in place with ropes but on this occasion no ropes were required, the weed held us firmly in place.   Once out onto the Trent the weed dispersed and we made good time to Torksey, arriving before the tide turned.

Green weed in the lock.  The far bank of the River Trent can be seen through the lock gates.

The weather was glorious at Torksey – I was able to sit out with my patchwork which is going to be made into a bag for the shelves above our bed.  With Bess stretched out on the jetty beside me this was a perfect relaxing afternoon – apart from the strimmer which wailed like a banshee on the opposite bank.

The next day we set off with the intention of shopping at Saxilby and then continuing our journey.   However in the spirit of this lifestyle we changed our minds and stayed overnight in Saxilby.  On Wednesday 5^th September we sailed into Lincoln which is the furthest we've travelled on the Fossdyke navigation. 

We stopped on the visitor moorings outside the University, I don't think I'd want to spend the night on these but they were fine for our purposes.  We walked into town for some shopping and to have a look at the Glory Hole.  This is a narrow alley in the centre of Lincoln under which there is a tunnel for the canal.  This old tunnel passes under an old timbered building and a street.  The entrance is timbered and has limited headroom.   We decided there was enough room without lowering our wheelhouse ( the roof lifts off and windows fold down for such situations) but all the same we took Brent III through very slowly.   

On the other side of the Glory Hole the canal passes through the main shopping centre and we noticed some boaters had moored up against the railings to go for their shopping saving a walk from the University.

The Glory Hole tunnel which passes under the timbered building in the background and a  busy street.

The map below shows our route between Goole and Lincoln.

In the Beginning

Nearly 7 years ago we bought our narrowboat Brent III little realising how it would change our lives.   We were quickly smitten and yearned to spend longer and travel further than annual holidays would allow. 

We met many "continuous cruisers" on our holidays and wished we too could travel the inland waterways and enjoy the freedom this lifestyle offered.  After many discussions and the creation of a spreadsheet, to check our finances would stand up to such a venture, we decided to make the dream a reality. 

We were lucky, Brent III did not need many modifications to enable us to live on board.   Kev's son-in-law, Gaz, made a cratch to maximise use of the front deck and a bookcase which has proved invaluable for my art materials as well as books and tubs of miscellaneous items.  Extra shelves have been put up and underfloor storage created in the galley which is useful for tins of beans and bottles of wine. 

We installed a macerator toilet which uses canal water to flush, an inverter to convert the 12v battery power to 240 volt, an alternator charger to ensure the batteries are charged as we travel and a battery monitor to keep tabs on our consumption.   We bought a washing machine which would fit through the narrow doors and Kev fixed a spike to the roof for a whirlygig washing line.  A woodburning stove will warm the boat, keep a kettle on the boil and cook a pan of stew - an essential piece of equipment.

Kev spent many hours sanding and revarnishing the interior oak panelling to restore it to it's former glory.  Brent III needed her bottom blacking and my sister Sarah came to help out with this - the best job of all was lying on our backs to scrape muscles off the hull!  

Brent III was lowered back into the water and we moved on board in April.  After several car loads our belongings were on board but finding a home for everything was a challenge.   

We started painting Brent III in her new colours but the extremely wet weather caused delays.  We managed to finish just in time for the start of our cruise but at the time of writing we are still waiting for the name transfers to arrive.   

August was a hectic month - Kev didn't get a minute - there was a long list of things to do and an even longer list of things to buy and stow away.   We had everything ready to leave our home mooring, Viking Marina in Goole, on Thursday 30 August.  We've had some good times at Viking and sailed off with mixed emotions.  

On board we have one 'crew' member, Bess a Patterdale Terrier who is 8 months old.  Sadly our rottweiler Mia was suddenly taken ill in August and is no longer with us.  

Bess in her favourite place on the dash as we travel.