It's a Windy Place

Still lots of wind with us, I blame it on Marston’s Merrie Monk !! ---- I said it before you Dai ---- no, seriously, still days of wild wind this last week and still carrying on today.


We have moved though ---- through Middlewich, Wheelock and tonight moored at Rode Heath.    Nothing much happened this week - called for a pint or two at The Cheshire Cheese in Wheelock and last night at The Broughton Arms in Rode Heath.      Walked into Sandbach while moored at Wheelock about a mile and half away --- town centre not highly exciting, just usual sort of thing.


Was looking forward to re-visiting The Romping Donkey at Hassell Green but it is closed down --- shame as it’s a old place but looks like gone same way as so many pubs these days.


Made choux pastry for first time ever today and have to say, very successful ----- only 4 Elephant Feet left now.    I like to bake new things now and again and had to have a bit of experimenting in readiness for my daughter’s visit this coming weekend.     Dai made pasta this week too ---- lets just say we ate it but next time needs to make it not quite so sticky so the dough can be rolled out thinner!


Done 23 locks this week but they were easy-peasy even though up what is know as “Heartbreak Hill” ---- tell you, these narrow locks are so much more enjoyable than those doubles on the Leeds & Liverpool (you see, I am still traumatised from the Wigan Flight!!)


You will see that I've -- at last! -- started a "blogs I follow" listing which I will be adding to when I have a bit more time to sort it out.


Since last blog we have done …  14 miles and 23 locks
total since Setting Off ….. 1242 miles and  1028 locks  

Right lads --- I've got the chips

--- and I've got the bread

--- so let's have the butties

--- all gone, so let's see what the next course is from the next boat

I love it ..... Dai hates it
10 facts about Marmite

Just who did I make a rag rug for ??

Drizzle, wind, wind, drizzle ---- on and on and on ---- come back sunshine!


This week we have moved from Preston Tunnel, through Barnton, by the Anderton Lift, bypassed Northwich and are now moored in the middle of nowhere about 4 miles north of Middlewich.     


Caught a bus to Northwich about 4 miles away last Friday and nearly had a dickie fit when the driver asked for £8.80.    Yes, £8.80 return for the two of us.   Daylight robbery but we needed some supplies, so off we went.    Quite a big town with an indoor market and the usual array of shops.


Over the weekend we were at Anderton and decided to look round the Lift Exhibition which was, actually, quite interesting.     They were doing good business too with the lift especially I think as there was a rally of old Morgan cars --- beautiful machines.


On Sunday our friends Ian and Sarah came with their boys Aaron and Jack so we all went round the Exhibition - the boys loved it as there were several interactive things they could do.


Since last blog we have done …  12 miles and 0 locks
Total since Setting Off ….. 1228 miles and  1005 locks  

my first rag rug finished !

...... which Foxxie claimed within an hour !!

mayhem at Anderton, fighting for a mooring space !

"side" view of Anderton Lift

"end" view of Anderton Lift

Anderton Lift in operation as the two caissons pass each other

I found this and the following 3 bits of information in 

the Anderton Lift Exhibition the most interesting

Back to BW Canals

Wigan Locks - DONE ….. And re-confirmed, I will never do them again.    If we do come back to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal ---- which is glorious between Foulbridge Tunnel and Bingley 5-Rise  ----  then we will come onto it the other way round.     As I write this the Wigan Flight is closed as one of the locks in the middle has to have some emergency work done on it.   Are we surprised?   Err, no.    They are without doubt  the worst lock flight we have done for leaks, heaviness and cranky paddle gear/gates and today we are up to 1005 locks done in last one year and 44 days.    


So, we are now off the Bridgewater Canal having come through Preston Brook Tunnel this afternoon and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.    Thinking of making our way now to the Macclesfield Canal.   


You will have seen the photos of the “Jandai v Mrs Cow Race” last week ---- what I forgot to mention was - yes, she did manage to get back onto terra firma.    Her mates in the field walked alongside the canal en masse making sure she stayed at that side of the canal and just as we were going around a bend, spotted that she had found a break in the bank to climb out of the water ----- probably it was the same spot that she fell in at !


Thanks Anne for confirming on your comment here last week that I’m not really that old - certainly don’t feel it !!    But obviously to Barnoldswick teenage girls, I am ancient!


I managed to escape last Friday to wander around The Trafford Centre ---- window shopping until Dai phoned me asking if I could be back on the boat by 3 pm as another boat had just passed and told him “Wouldn’t stay there overnight mate” --- so we upped the pins and ended up going all the way through Stretford and Sale to moor at Dunham Town which was, in the end, a good thing as we ended up eating at the local pub “Axe and Cleaver” that evening - and they had Black Sheep Ale as a guest beer !!


Since last blog we have done …  48 miles and 24 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1216 miles and  1005 locks  

passed us this week

Gifford was being towed by Shad

both together

sign on Gifford

Back to BW Canal

Wigan Locks - DONE ….. And re-confirmed, I will never do them again.    If we do come back to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal ---- which is glorious between Foulbridge Tunnel and Bingley 5-Rise  ----  then we will come onto it the other way round.     As I write this the Wigan Flight is closed as one of the locks in the middle has to have some emergency work done on it.   Are we surprised?   Err, no.    They are without doubt  the worst lock flight we have done for leaks, heaviness and cranky paddle gear/gates and today we are up to 1005 locks done in last one year and 44 days.    


So, we are now off the Bridgewater Canal having come through Preston Brook Tunnel this afternoon and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal.    Thinking of making our way now to the Macclesfield Canal.   


You will have seen the photos of the “Jandai v Mrs Cow Race” last week ---- what I forgot to mention was - yes, she did manage to get back onto terra firma.    Her mates in the field walked alongside the canal en masse making sure she stayed at that side of the canal and just as we were going around a bend, spotted that she had found a break in the bank to climb out of the water ----- probably it was the same spot that she fell in at !


Thanks Anne for confirming on your comment here last week that I’m not really that old - certainly don’t feel it !!    But obviously to Barnoldswick teenage girls, I am ancient!


I managed to escape last Friday to wander around The Trafford Centre ---- window shopping until Dai phoned me asking if I could be back on the boat by 3 pm as another boat had just passed and told him “Wouldn’t stay there overnight mate” --- so we upped the pins and ended up going all the way through Stretford and Sale to moor at Dunham Town which was, in the end, a good thing as we ended up eating at the local pub “Axe and Cleaver” that evening - and they had Black Sheep Ale as a guest beer !!


Since last blog we have done …  48 miles and 24 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1216 miles and  1005 locks  

came by us today

Gifford being towed by Shad

sign on Gifford's deck

and here they are together 

pub grub that wasn't

Busy this last week - and started “hireboat” mode to get off the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, so last couple of days lots of miles and locks (for us anyway!!).


Royal Wedding - it was fab.    I had to watch it on the laptop cos no telly reception but that was okay as the BBC were streaming it live so I didn’t have to miss any of it.   Dai watched bits inbetween fishing.   


We met up with friends Fred and Lisa who were on a week’s hireboat at Salterforth.   We had booked a table for dinner at The Anchor so after a glass of wine we meandered the 50 yards or so to the pub.   It was heaving and banners/balloons everywhere for a 40th birthday.   We were met at the door by the landlady who told us that the kitchen extractors had broken down so they couldn’t do food ….. Mmmmm, right.
So we walked up into Barnaldswick which was only about a mile or so away.   First pub we saw … shut and for sale.    Second pub … for sale, but it was at least open with about 3 men at the bar …. No food.    So we had a pint while we debated what to do!      We were all starving having saved ourselves for the Anchor dinner.    Loads of Chinese takeaways, loads of pizza takeaways and then we saw Flavos - no good, we just had to eat.    Actually it tasted much better than expected and there was loads of chicken and chips and kebab for Dai and it was really cheapy cheap.     While we were in Flavos we asked where the “decent” pubs were - lots of noisy, blaring music “youngsters” places but “not really anywhere for old people” we were informed  by the two teenage girls.     We spotted the Conservative Club over the road so I went over to suss it out!!    Two young women were going in and they offered to sign us in “you’ll like it here, vodka and orange only £3.50”.    So, yes, we paid our pound each and became members for the evening.    And yes the beer was very cheap although we had to drink Tetley Mild !!    Lots of interesting people in there and a not bad singer.    We got a taxi back to our boats and after a whiskey nightcap decided that  although our plans had to change we actually had a really good night out !!


Oh and I got my Easter Egg too - thanks Fred and Lisa !!!


On Sunday after saying our goodbyes, Dai and I set off to turn onto the Bridgewater Canal.    We are moored tonight about 3 miles from start of Wigan Locks so have done Foulbridge and Gannow Tunnels; Barrowford, Burnley, Blackburn, Johnsons Locks; gone through Colne, Nelson, Burnley, Rose Grove, Hapton, Church, Rishton, Whitebrik, Blackburn, Cherry Tree, Riley Green, Wheelton, Chorley and Adlington.     I have to say that it looks like someone (presumably BW) have been out cleaning up surface rubbish from this stretch - it was noticeably less than when we came up this way beginning of April.    We did still have a couple of rollercoaster rides over god knows what in the canal which you couldn’t see - probably freezers, fridges, settees, bikes, you name it, I think it is stuck in the mud in this part of this canal.


The locks have been interesting too ….. Pounds very low in some flights and in the Blackburn flight, well, the water was flowing over the top gates like Niagara Falls and I was paddling up to my kneecaps in water round the paddles !     Just heard today that the Bank Newton lock flight passage is now restricted to between 8 am and 4 pm cos of lack of water and that the Rochdale Canal is in serious trouble.


Been quite windy this week although the sun has also been shining all day every day so can’t grumble!


Psyching myself up now for the Wigan Locks - think I need a few bottles of wine and whiskey nightcap before we tackle them tomorrow !!


Since last blog we have done …  42 miles and 22 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1168 miles and  981 locks

Big Chimney, Little Chimney

Burnley Skyline

Race you to the next bridge .......

looking back in Gannow Tunnel

Good advertising for local shop in Church (wonder what etc is?!)

Bye Fred and Lisa - hope to see you again soon

Ummm - well, yes, no,  I didn't think Hapton was that bad

good effort Mrs Cow, but we won the race

The Suntan is Coming Along Nicely

Moved from Gargrave today --- up to Salterforth (just after Barnoldswick).    It was awfully chilly yesterday but the hot sunshine is back again today so can’t grumble cos we’ve had days and days of glorious weather and the suntan is back!    Makes up for those weeks during the Ice Age last winter!


Had a cracking night out in The Old Swan at Gargrave last Friday - Black Sheep bitter for Dai and Black Sheep Ale for me and great company with some locals and boaters singing and dancing.


Gargrave is a lovely village and so I’m putting some pictures on today’s blog below.  


Noticeably more boats out and about now - make the most of it if you’re on the Leeds & Liverpool and if you’re planning on coming this way, better hurray up as still  no rain and the water levels in some places are looking dicey.   After this coming weekend we are making our way off this canal onto the Trent & Mersey (via Bridgewater Canal of course).    I need to start psyching myself up for those Wigan Locks!!


Dai just been trying to get telly reception and no joy ----- he’d better sort it out for the Wedding on Friday otherwise I’ll be using a lot of boat battery to watch it on the laptop  (watching live TV on laptop definitely takes more power that the telly.)


If you’re in the UK, enjoy this long Bank Holiday Weekend and don’t forget to keep waving your flag on Friday for the marriage of our future King and his  Queen-to-be.


Since last blog we have done …  8 miles and 10 locks
This makes total since Setting Off ….. 1126 miles and  959 locks  

there are 2 sets of stepping stones across the River Aire in Gargrave - at either end of the village

you needed to stand well back each time Foxxie had retrieved her stick out of the river!

There are now 2 tearooms in the village but was this the original (no longer serving any tea, tobacco or cigars).  Was it called "The Copper Kettle" ?? 

One of the 2 tearooms now open in Gargrave

I really liked this light on the road bridge over the River Aire

unfortunately no Roman ruins left in Gargrave now

All the bunting out in Gargrave High Street for Easter and the Royal Wedding

Passed this new steam narrowboat today "Whisper Down the Wind"  - marvelled at his Big Chimney !

shorts and shades

Beautiful hot sunny days - so out have come the shorts, sandals and shades - yes, even Dai is wearing shorts (but not sandals after last year when he did and burnt his ankles badly!).

Had fish and chips twice this week from Bizzie Lizzie’s in Skipton - once when moored there and today when we walked 4.5 miles there and 4.5 miles back along the towpath - well they are good !!   

We are now moored at Gargrave and spent last 3 days walking (1) on part of the Pennine Way (2) towpath to East Marton (next village to West) and (3) to Skipton (next town to East).    Tomorrow I am insisting on a rest day just sitting in the sun!     Lovely walks though as we are in the Yorkshire Dales and where better for glorious scenery.

Now we are proper liveaboards ---- I have two planters on the roof.    One with pansies and one with that “cut and come again” lettuce.    Oh, and we also have a smaller planter with thyme as Dai uses so much in cooking.    

Heard this last week that BW are starting water restrictions from May 3 on the Leeds & Liverpool, so reducing the amount of water pumped in from the reservoirs and putting time restrictions on flights of locks as and when necessary.      They certainly need to do something as we have definitely noticed the water levels are fluctuating by as much as 6 inches from day to day.    A lot of the lock gates are leaking like fury and in a stretch of “bendy wendy”canal  just up from Gargrave there are signs every few yards saying “bad leak”.  We wouldn’t be at all surprised to see this particular canal closed again this summer just like it was last year because of lack of water, especially as there hasn’t been a lot of rain these last few months.

Counted one mammy duck yesterday with about 30 babies (give or take one or two as they were flitting all over the place).    Never seen so many with one mammy - think she must be the auntie who babysits all day!

We’re going to stay put in Gargrave now until after Easter (we are on a 14 day mooring) as no doubt it will be mega busy over the long weekend.    Enjoy the Holidays everyone and don’t eat too many Easter Eggs (send them to me instead as I bet I won’t get even one otherwise!!)

Since last blog we have done …  5 miles and 3 locks

Total since Setting Off ….. 1118 miles and  949 locks  

one reason the Leeds & Liverpool Canal has water shortage problems

Foxxie loving the sunshine ... but where's yer shades??

ice cream tug at Skipton