Canal 2013
As last year we have decided to have two weeks on the boat this year.
Day one - Thursday 4th April
We set out just after 10.30 and travelled via the A34, M40 and M42. Then cross country to Burton and Willington. Traffic was light. We arrived just after 13.30 but the boat was still being prepared, so Edward had a quick look in the chandlers while Ann went back to the car to read her Kindle.
Thankfully we are having Ophelia again this year. After loading the boat and going through the usual checklist we set sail about 15.30 for Branston.
The journey was straight forward with no slow coaches, but it was very cold. Although the wind did not come through our water proof coats, it felt like one needed 3 pullovers on rather then two because of the heat loss. We got to Branson about 18.30, Edward then went to the Chinese for a beef and tomato, chicken chop suey plus fried lice and spring rolls takeaway.
Later we watched some TV, reception was good, then unpacked our bags followed by, relatively for us, an early night.
Internet reception was good (Vodaphone).
Day two - Friday 5th April
We got up at about 7.45 and made some tea. Edward had his breakfast then washed up the dishes. We finally got away at about 9.45. Weatherwise it was bright and sunny and slightly warmer than yesterday.
The canal was very quite with few boats on the move. At Alrewas, on the Trent, it was very windy needing two ropes to keep the boat alongside. The boat in front of us waiting to go through the lock managed to leave one of their windlass behind, his wife had slipped and hurt her ankle. Edward spotted it in the grass and we were able to return latter on.
We pulled over in Alrewas for lunch at about 12.30. We had our usual ham or chicken sandwiches with tea.
We started off about 13.30, another boat passed us just as we were about to leave. Eight locks to go thought Ann. The first two locks, Alrewas top and Common lock were uneventful other than Edward had to hold them closed with the boat hook from the boat.
A surprise at Fradley Locks, they were being manned by four volunteers. The first lock was being manned by a John Ash, he had the lock set for us by the time we arrived. A second volunteer had the next lock ready for us too. At the next lock there were two volunteers, one of them then helped us through the final two locks. We were through in no time at all.
The volunteers work four days per week, Friday to Monday from spring to autumn under the supervision of the Canal Trust. They hope to recruit more volunteers so they can operate a seven day week service. The idea is to establish the scheme at the various bottlenecks throughout the canal system.
We were soon through Woodend lock and arrived at Handsacre at about 16.30. Later we had fish and chips from the chippy.
Both TV and Internet reception were good.
Day three - Saturday 6th April
We were away by 9.15. The weather was bright and sunny and less cold than previous days. We arrived at Rugeley at about 10.30 and visited Morrisons and Wilkinsons for a few supplies. We were on our way again at 11.45 and had lunch just past Colwich Lock, at about 13.15, after a pleasant but uneventful cruise. We had bacon and egg sandwiches.
We were on the move again at 14.15 with a view to getting to Penkridge. This was quite an ambitious target with 6 locks and about 4.5 hours, bearing in mind our leaving time.
A young crew at Great Haywood lock, waiting to come through, did not help at all. The tea room at Great Haywood was full of customers sitting out in the sun.
Of the remaining five locks only Tixell lock and the last lock of the day, Broom, was there a boat in the opposite direction with a helping crew. By Broom lock Ann was on her last legs when all of a sudden a young family appeared and took over lock operations. Overall it was still a good afternoon cruise, with some nice views in lovely weather.
We arrived at Penkridge about 19.00, totally warn out. We pulled over just before Penkridge lock 38, where we had stopped some years ago. I noticed that some of the Armco barrier was lacking bolts and anchorages, it is usually bolted every 1.2m or so but in this section fixings were up to 2.5m apart. This meant that our mooring clips would not be confined to one vertical slot, they could easily jump to the next slot or two. We will see in the morning.
We were so worn out that we did not feel like going out for a meal. Ann cooked a quick paste bake for dinner. We then watched some TV and had an early night.
TV reception was good, though we had to retune as its a different transmitter area from last night. Internet was only 2G, though useable. Overall a tiring day.
Day four - Sunday 7th April
Another bright and sunny day. We were away by 9.30. The mooring clips had moved along the Armco overnight, requiring some levering with a mooring pin to free them. The boat was very loosely tied.
We refilled our water tank just after Penkridge lock and disposed of our rubbish. As usual the hose was only just long enough, it had a kink which leaked water and the push on fitting also leaked as it was not by the same manufacturer.
The next seven locks went quite quickly as boats were coming in the opposite direction and their crews helped. There were two groups of fishermen which required the usual caution.
After Gailey Lock we got caught up in kayak racing organised by the local canoeing club. Half way between Gailey and bridge 78 we meet groups of four kayakers racing towards us, we simply keep over to the right of the canal. At bridge 78A we spotted a kayak rapidly approaching, we managed to slow down to a crawl and let him through, unfortunately a second kayaker had to slow up as Edward could not see him. There were no more incidents with the rest of the racers.
We stopped for lunch just after bridge 76 at Calf Heath at about 12.45. While we were having lunch a new race had started and kayaks started going past at high speed. These kayakers do not show the normal courtesy of slowing up when passing moored boats. One can sense them coming and the wash from even one kayak rocked our boat much more violently than a full sized canal boat. Edward took some picture of the racers.
We were on the move again by 13.45. We had to take evasive action at the bridge at Calf Heath Marina and again at bridge 75, to allow racers through, they had by this time turned around and were on the way back to Gailey. We never found out where their turning point was.
We arrived at Autherly Junction at about 16.00, and Brewood at 17.30. Edward walked up to the Bridge Inn to see if they had food on tonight, unfortunately the answer was no. So we had a sausage casserole on board and watched some TV.
Naturally in the early hours the gas ran out. Edward noticed at 4.50, but did not change the cylinder until 6.50, by which time it was light.
TV reception was good, this digital is certainly better than the old analogue. Again the Internet was only 2G.
Day five - Monday 8th April
The day started cold and grey, while the sun eventually came out late morning, the eastly wind remained cold all day.
An uneventful day, travelling up the Shropshire canal. We left about 9.40 and got to Norbury Junction about 13.00. Only one lock at Wheaton Aston (10.40). The main problem with this canal is the amount of online mooring, forcing one to slow down for quite lengthy periods. Otherwise the canal has both nice views over the countryside on raised sections and several deep wooded cuttings.
We left Norbury about 14.00 and got to Goldstone Wharf about 16.30. Certain sections were very windy and cold.
We went to the Wharf Tavern for dinner, Ann had her usual fillet steak and Edward a Salmon fillet. Both meals were good.
Again the Internet was 2G, but too slow to be useful.
Day six - Tuesday 9th April
We backed the boat up about 30 metres to the water point and filled the tank, the hose was leaking worse than before. We were away by 9.55 and followed another boat at a leisurely pace through Woodseaves Cutting. We arrived at Tyreley Locks at 10.45. It turned out the boat in front had never done locks before having picked the boat up at Norbury Junction. He suggested we go through first and Ann showed the crew, a father and three children, how to operate the locks etc.
We cleared the four locks by 11.40 and arrived in Market Drayton about 12.00. We pulled over at a canal shop and bought a Calor Gas refill and two water hose connectors.
There was the usual line of parked boats beyond bridge 65. Through the cutting at Betton Wood there were signs of several large land slips, one had been stabilised with large Hessian like blankets. We stopped for lunch just before bridge 69. Although it was a five day mooring it had a large Shropshire Ledge which combined with a strong side wind made mooring difficult. We had a quick lunch as we still had 16+ locks to do.
We arrived at Adderley locks about 13.50. We got through quite quickly as a boat had just come through in the opposite direction setting the locks in our favour.
We arrived at Audlem Locks, bridge 75 about 15.05. Thankfully there was again quite a number of boats coming up which speeds up operations as lock gates can be left open and boats pass in the ponds. We moored up just past lock 13 about 18.00.
We decide to have a meal at the Bridge Inn in Audlem. Ann had ham eggs and chips while Edward had soup then gammon egg and salad, followed by cheese cake. Both the ham and gammon were very good, in fact Edward thought it was the best piece of gammon he had ever had.
Again the Internet was 2G, but was useful. Overall the weather was variable, sunny periods and sometimes cold and windy.
Day seven - Wednesday 10th April
We went shopping first thing, bread, milk and lemonade from the Coop and pork chops and sausage from the local butchers. Something not seen for many years was a travelling knife sharpener, a man was grinding the butchers knives in the back of his van. It was quite cold and overcast. We moved on about 10.25, at the second lock Canal Trust workers were inspecting some of the pavement concrete as it had collapsed leaving a large hole.
An uneventful cruise to Hack Green locks, arriving about 11.45, the weather was still mostly overcast. A boat coming the other way helped with the first lock, but they emptied our next lock for some reason rather than leave the gate open. It turned out they had to be back in Autherley Junction by Friday and had been speeding past moored boats and had overtaken the boat now in the second lock. I chuckled when the speeding boat misjudged going in to the lock and had to do a lot of reversing to get in.
The crew of the second boat were most apologetic for having taken the lock and relayed the antics of the speeding boat.
As we got to Nantwich the weather picked up and it was now quite sunny and warm. It took some time to get through Nantwich as it is mooring all the way. We pulled up for lunch at about 13.30 just before bridge 97 and the Llangollen Canal junction.
We got moving again about 14.30, then turned right at Barbridge Junction. The weather remained sunny. We got to Cholmondeston Lock about 15.35 and Minshull Lock about 16.10. We moved on a short distance to the Weaver Aqueduct where we moored for the night. This is really quite a pleasant spot with a good view across the countryside.
Ann cooked a pasta dish for dinner.
Internet reception was 3g. TV reception was also good.
Day eight - Thursday 11th April
The day started overcast, though milder than previous days, but it started raining about 9.00. We were on the move by 9.30 and followed a fairly slow boat all the way to Middlewich arriving at Stanthorpe lock about 11.15.
We were outside Mrs Wardles lock house about 12.00, half expecting her to come and offer some advice or criticism like last time we were here, but she died a year or two ago.
After Wardles lock we turn right. We then did the next five locks, with a boat in front and one following close behind. It started to rain more heavily just like when we were here last time. We find this stretch quite bleak running alongside a main road. The Bisto factory has been demolished, though the salt works is still there. We eventually found a place to pull over for a very late lunch at 15.00. The stretch of canal has no suitable pull over points for a break, we tried one spot before bridge 159, but it was too silted up.
After a quick lunch we moved on to the village of Wheelock, mooring just before lock 66, at about 16.15. We were lucky to find a spot as space is limited and several boats were badly positioned with 10 to 12 meter gaps between boats, we need about 20 meters.
Once we were here the weather brightened up a little, with some blue sky, but the wind is now colder than this morning.
Ann cooked the pork chops she bought in Audlem, they were good, rather like one used to buy 40 years ago.
Internet reception was 3g.
Day nine - Friday 12th April
The day started overcast but not too cold. As the morning progressed it got sunnier and warmer, Ann having to remove a layer or two of coats. Here many of the locks are duplicated, that is side by side. The thinking is a bit like modern roads, that is dual carriageway feeding in to sections of single carriageway like the A303 to Exeter.
All went well till lock 60, when we lost reverse going into the lock so there was a small bump. Edward though we had something on the propeller, though exiting the lock the wash seamed Ok. However the problem reoccurred at the next lock where it became obvious that the forward/reverse control had a intermittent synchronisation problem. At lock 58 the only way to stop the boat was by turning the engine off. We pulled over underneath the M6 motorway near the village of Hassall Green.
Ann phoned the base who dispatched a mechanic. This was 12.15 and they said he would be about two hours getting to us. We had lunch then Ann read her Kindle and Edward sat out in the sun after he had worked out what was wrong with the engine controls.
The mechanic arrived at 14.30 and recovered a nut and bolt from the bilge. The fixed end of the Bowden cable, normally held in place by a clip and two bolts and nuts, had come lose causing the problem.
We were soon on our way again, just managing to get in front of an approaching boat without looking too rushed. Edward had kept lock 58 set for us.
The next five locks, particularly the fifth, were heavy to operate. No sooner we were moving so the rain also started and we ended up with our full wet gear on. We arrived at Rode Heath about 17.00 and moored up opposite the Broughton Arms. The following boat also moored up behind us shortly afterwards.
We had a meal at the Broughton Arms, Ann had fish and chips and a chocolate melt pudding, Edward had soup then fidget pie (a ham and apple pie with mashed potatoes on top) with salad then cheesecake.
TV reception was good, except we could not tune the BBC channels for some reason, and Internet 3g.
Day ten - Saturday 13th April
The day started bright and sunny and quite mild. As we wanted water today we cut the kink out of the hose and fitted one of the hose connectors we bought in Market Drayton.
We set off about 9.30 aiming to do the first six locks by 11.00, which we achieved. The wind was troublesome on the last three making moving off from the side difficult.
Ann made herself a coffee while travelling to the next six locks. The first three locks were again affected by wind. We got to the water point just as another boat moved off. After filling up we moved through the next three locks to the start of the Harecastle tunnel. We got there about 13.25 and had to wait for two boats coming through from the other end.
As we had a 25 min wait, we had lunch. As soon as the second boat arrived we were signaled by the tunnel keeper to go through.
The tunnel was not too wet. It is about 4.3 meters wide and varies in height, at one point Edward had to duck slightly. At first one notices the engine fumes. One travels with both the headlamp on and all the cabin lights on with the curtains open. The latter throws useful light on the tunnel walls alongside the boat.
Going north to south one cannot see the end of the tunnel as they close some gates and large fans extract air. Looking back one can see a pin of light. The boat has to be steered all the time, its quite difficult to keep the boat in the centre or judge ones speed as the rev counter does not work.
As we near the end of the tunnel the gates are opened and the fans turned off. The tunnel is 1.6 miles long and the tunnel keeper said we took 31 minutes.
We were greeted with rain when we left the tunnel, though we had already decided to moor at Westport Lake for the night which is a short distance from the tunnel.
Ann is cooking on board tonight, sausage, potatoes and Broccoli.
TV reception was good and Internet 3g.
Day eleven - Sunday 14th April
The day start overcast with the ominous sound of whistling winds, a canal boaters nightmare.
We started out about 8.45, with full weather gear on as it was trying to rain. The canal winds past the old pottery sites, mostly pulled down and derelict. The first redevelopment is Festival Park where there is a Toby Carvery and a base for Black Prince canal boats in a marina. Shortly afterward we got Etruria Junction at 9.40 where the Caldron Canal branches off. There was now some sunshine.
We did the next five locks without incidence except for the last one no 36. The side wind was too strong for Edward to hold and tie up to the lock mooring, its quite exposed there without buildings, trees or hedges to break the wind, so the boat drifted to the opposite bank with Ann still on board. Fortunately the water was deep enough and the bank was straight forward concrete and steel. Ann motored up to the lock and Edward got onboard again. We let the boat drift back slowly to clear the lock as a boat was coming up in the lock. When the other boat left the lock we motored in with a slight bump or two.
Shortly afterwards the rain started with squalls of horizontal sleet. Its amazing how many jogger were out on the towpath in these conditions. The weather brightened up as we approached the town of Hem Heath then Barlaston.
We did the first two Stone locks then pulled over for lunch. We were on the move again at 14.30. At lock five there were two volunteers manning the lock. Having helped with that lock they walked round to lock six and helped us through that one too. Ann was being spoiled.
At the seventh lock the wind was to strong to and after dropping Ann off the boat gently drifted across to some moored hire boats in a marina. As Ann opened the lock perhaps twelve tiny baby ducks swam towards it at the same time I was positioning to get in to the lock. Fortunately disaster was avoided when mother duck shepherded the babies away from the lock.
At the eighth lock a boat was coming up so it was essential to tie up at the lock moorings. This time Ann was stationed at the front of the boat, she stepped ashore and quickly tied the front rope to a bollard forming a spring. Edward then powered the boat forward to pull the stern in against the wind, then tied up with the stern rope.
We pulled up for the night a short distance from the lock at about 16.00. By now the sun had come out and we sat in the front of the boat with the doors open and the heating off. It was really quite mild and pleasant.
We had meal on board. When we came to wash up there was no hot water. Theoretically the engine warms the water so after running all day we should have plenty. On this boat I think the gas heater warms the water. Since the heater is off all day but the circulation pump is still running the hot water heat gets transferred to the radiators, I have noticed this many times. Normally the heater gets turned on as soon as we moor, tonight we did not. After turning the heater on the water warmed up.
Jumping ahead to tomorrow we turned off both the heater and the circulation pump. We still had hot water when we moored for the evening. The temperature of the water suggested that there is very good insulation on the hot water tank or there is some engine heating. More tests are needed.
Internet reception was 3g.
Day twelve - Monday 15th April
The day started and remained sunny all day, and quite warm particularly from lunchtime to 16.00. The wind was not nearly as strong as yesterday.
We started out about 8.30 and had a pleasant four hour cruise to Great Haywood. Both approaching Weston on Trent and Great Haywood one has to motor slowly past lines of moored boats adding significantly to the journey time.
We had lunch at the Clifford Arms, Ann had a sirloin steak and jacket potato, Edward a gammon steak and salad, then apple pie. Afterwards we did some basic shopping at a local store.
We started moving again about 14.30, heading for Handsacre. For the first couple of hours we cruised without our heavy coats as it was so mild and sunny.
We arrived at Handsacre about 17.30. We had tea on board.
Internet reception was 3g.
Day thirteen - Tuesday 16th April
We were on the move at 9.30, Ann had a lie in, the weather was cloudy and windy.
The wind was causing problems,
The second was outside Kings Bromley Marina were a boat was trying to get on its mooring. As we approached the boat was across the canal so all we could do was to stop. The wind blew us on to the bank which fortuanely was the Armco type. The other boat managed to get in to mid canal and we squeezed past on the wrong side.
There was a boat in front of us at Woodend lock, which was all over the place with the wind. We managed to get to the lock mooring with out drama. Another arrived behind us who reported that the boat outside Kings Bromley Marina was still struggling.
As the canal turns 90 degrees in the run up to Fradley Locks the wind would now be behind us which we thought would help matters. However we could see in the distance the boat in front was again having some trouble getting to the lock mooring, even with its four man crew.
All went well until we arrived at the lock, but at the last moment the wind caught our stern and had us along a moored boat on the opposite bank. The four man crew had by now got the lock open and graciously let us jump the que.
The next two locks were no trouble, and we pulled over for water. Once full we moved over to the other bank, just short of the lock mooring, for lunch. We used a bow spring line to power the stern in as a precaution.
We were on the move again at 13.30, as a boat was coming up the lock. There was also a boat coming up the final lock, which we passed in the pond saving a lot of effort.
We arrived in Alrewas at about 14.45, the weather was now very sunny and pleasant.
We went to the George and Dragon pub, Ann had ham and chicken pie with salad followed by ice cream with a Bailey's topping, Edward had tomato soup, then salmon parcels with cheese filling and salad and black current cheese cake. The salmon was very good.
Internet reception was a poor 2g.
Day fourteen - Wednesday 17th April
We were on the move by 8.45, the weather was overcast, chilly and windy. The cruise was uneventful until Branston Lock when we managed to break a rope. The wind was not too bothersome at the previous locks but there we decided to spring the stern in as the lock is very exposed. As we were doing the manoeuvre the rope broke but fortunately the stern was now close enough for Edward to get ashore and Ann was unharmed.
The bow rope was of a double braided construction, the downside of which is that it is impossible to inspect the inner core for damage.
We reached our normal lunch spot just past Shobnall Basin at about 11.50 so we decide to carry through Dallow Lane lock, the last lock of the cruise, and on to Horninglow Wharf, arriving at 12.25.
We had a bacon and egg sandwich for lunch, Ann read her Kindle and we both had a doze.
We were on the move again by 14.20 and arrive outside Willington Marina at 15.45. It was fortuitous that we had broken the forward rope as a newly painted private boat was tied up on the short mooring outside of the marina. While Edward held the centre rope Ann was able to throw our own long rope from the bow to the owner of the private boat who hauled our bow in without colliding with his boat. The broken rope would have been too short to do that.
The Shakespeare staff took the boat in to the marina, the wind was extremely strong and plenty of throttle was needed to turn us in to the marina entrance and get us alongside the finger berth.
We went to the Dragon for a meal. Ann had fish and chips while Edward had ham and pea soup and smoked haddock fish cakes with salad. We spent the rest of the evening packing.
Internet reception was a poor 2g.
Day fifteen - Thursday 18th April
We vacated the boat by 9.00 and were on our way home by 9.15. We visited Jon and Brian for a couple of hours and got home about 14.50.