A quick look back at June.

As I am trying to put one photograph for each of the canals or arms that we have been on I will have to write a blog for one month rather than two or it will be too heavy to download easily. That's my excuse any way. From the following photos it can be seen that the weather really did start to set fair in June.

A lovely Macclesfield oval bridge, No.34, just to the north of Macclesfield. The bridges are a real feature of the 'Macc' and the snake bridges and the normal bridges do shout that it was built with pride and skill.

We stopped at Bollington and Marple before turning up the Peak Forest Canal. My rule of one picture per canal was very difficult to keep to here as we found New Mills and area very photogenic, but as it was not actually on the canal I had to skip it. We spent  a couple of nights at Bugsworth Basin and loved the industrial archaeology and the walks around.

'Holderness' in the Middle Basin at Bugsworth on the Peak Forest Canal. To the left is the arch into the middle Basin Arm and in the middle is the bridge leading to the Upper Basin and on the left are the remains of the Gnat Hole Lime Kilns.

We retraced out route back to Marple and down the flight to emerge at Portland Basin and the Ashton Canal. Helen had a few days moored at Droylsden as I went home before we set off down the 18 locks to Piccadily Basin. We have moored her several times over the years and never had any trouble so didn't think it necessary to enter the Piccadily Village moorings. Manchester seems to be a mix of the old and new with some quite iconic new and old buildings on the canal side.

Lift bridge to Piccadilly Village moorings overlooked by the Chips Building at New Islington. Ashton Canal.

Helen hated the Rocdale 9 as they were extremely heavy to work and took more than all her strength to work. She was glad when we go to Castlefield.

Waiting for the lock to empty by a quiet Canal Street on the Rochdale Canal.

Once we were moored at Castlefield we met up with a niece who lives there and caught up with her. When we left there we were on the Bridgewater Canal which was the first canal of the Canal Age to be built by the Duke of Bridgewater (hence the name!). Once past Waters Meeting we were on new territory for us and it was full of treats. The Barton Bridges, The Monton Lighthouse and Worsley.

The Packet House at Worsley where the fast boats left for Manchester from the steps below it. The bridge is over the canal to the Delph where approximately 47 miles of canals were built into the hill, even with and inclined plane, to bring out the coal to be delivered by canal to Manchester and other places of industry so jet propelling life into the canal age.

We had a good look round the Astley Green Colliery Museum and the blokes working and volunteering there were very helpful and very interesting too. The Bridgewater becomes the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Leigh Branch, at Leigh. You are then soon in to Flashes territory where the mining subsidence has filled with water to form wildlife havens and boat clubs. We were soon into Wigan that is make the best of a new life for it's self. You are soon out of the built-up area and the countryside is lovely, especially in the weather we were having.

The Mill at Parbold on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It is a lovely little place with a lot going on and it seems a society for everything too.

We continued through Burscough, past where the canal was started near Halsall Hill and into the suburbs of Liverpool. We were booked to go down the Liverpool link. The day we went we blew down into Liverpool it was so windy. We were going sideways once the wide open spaces of the docks. It is a great experience and the moorings are ideal for the centre and attractions. We will definitely be going again.

Moored in Salthouse Dock with the warehouses around Albert Dock illuminated at the end of the Liverpool link.

Retracing our way after five days or so we moored up near Appley as Helen had to go home for a week. And what a week! The weather was stupendous and it was great to sit and listen to the the first Ashes Test and be on the edge of my seat through out.

Ranicar's Swing Bridge in the early morning with the mist just burning off, on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal where I was moored for a week.

When Helen returned we also picked up an extra crew member as an old friend joined us for a week. We headed back to Waters Meeting and sped on through Sale and had the obligatory stop at Lymm and ever southwards as the sun was continuing to shine for us.

The trees in full leaf as we get closer to Preston Brook. The Bridgewater Canal near Moore. (But we didn't).

The crew for the week.

Once through the Preston Brook Tunnel we are on the Trent and Mersey Canal and into the narrow and winding cut to Anderton. Here we went down one of the wonders of the canal and descended to the River Weaver. I had had mixed reports of the River. Several had told me that you could do it all in two days and that was it and others who annually come down to the river for up to two weeks! I think I am more in the former camp although as the weather was so nice we could have stayed for longer if we weren't on a schedule. It was fun to go down the Boat Lift and pass under all the big bridges and locks to Winsford Bottom Flash. We then retraced and went all the way up to Runcorn which I found very interesting if not very scenic.

Anderton Boat Lift between the Trent and Mersey Canal and the Weaver Navigation.

By now our guest's week was nearly up so back up the lift and to Preston Brook as we had organised to have him picked up at Runcorn. The arm was a revelation as it was quite pretty and well worth the trip. We moored up for the night and picked cherries galore.

Waterloo Bridge at Runcorn which is the end of navigation now. Previously a set of locks continued down the otherside of the bridge and joined up with the Manchester Ship Canal and the Runcorn and Weeston Canal which is at the end of the Weaver navigation.

We once again passed through Preston Brook Tunnel and this time continued past Anderton too. We kept going to Middlewich. The canal is very varied hereabouts with the chemical works of Rodeheath and Broken Cross and the unspoiled countryside between there and Middlewich.

Billinge Flash which is one of many flashes that have been formed by subsidence due to salt extraction in the area. Trent and Mersey Canal.

Middlewich seems to be looking a lot better than when we were last here and once through the locks we turned right before King's Lock and we up the Shropshire Union, Middlewich Branch canal. It could be argued that we also accessed the Wardle canal which is just a few hundred feet long that connects the Trent and Mersey and the Shropshire Union Canals but I thought that was a bit thick. The Middlewich Branch is often completed in a day as just a connection canal but it has many lovely moorings and non better than at Church Minshull.

Sunset over Church Minshull on the Shropshire Union, Middlewich Branch canal.

When we got to Barbridge Junction and the Shropshire Union proper we turned right and headed for Chester. We had some good walks from our mooring at the end of July and one of the best was up to Beeston Castle. We managed to pull a leveret out of the cut when moored here and hopefully it survived afterwards to. What a month with a lot of firsts for us and the most beautiful weather. We couldn't have ordered better. We were hoping that July would be as good.

Beeston Castle on its outcrop seen from our mooring.

A quick look back at April and May.

We started our first long cruise at Debdale Wharf on 13th April. We headed south on the Grand Union Canal Leicester Section and our first destination was Market Harborough, down the Market Harborough Arm. We got stuck below behind a slow boat since just after Foxton but we got there in the end. What a nice little town for a couple of days.

Just outside Union Basin near Market Harbrough. Grand Union, Leicester Section, Market Harborough Arm.

We headed back down the arm and straight away into the Foxton staircase locks. From the top we wriggled our way down the Grand Union Leicester arm, passing the Welford Arm and we had done that earlier in the year. We passed Crick where we had bought 'Holderness' and through the tunnel to Watford Locks. After Norton Junction we were through Braunston Tunnel and the canal Mecca itself.

The view from the top of Foxton Locks, Grand Union Leicester Section.

From Braunston we headed south on the Oxford Canal/Grand Union with the intention of getting Calcutt Boats to check over the operation of the Hurricane heater. By the time we got there I had it sorted (thermostat dial had been displaced). We reversed our route back to Braunston and continued up the Hillmorton and Rugby. The Oxford Canal has some very beautiful parts.

Bridge 35 on the Oxford Canal near to Brinklow.

We stopped at Hawkesbury Junction, or Sutton Stop as it perhaps better known and headed down the Coventry Canal to Coventry Basin. There is a lot to see in Coventry and the Basin is a very good location so we stayed two full days there.

Coventry basin with James Brindley checking the boat matches the plans. Coventry Canal.

After we got back to 'Sutton Stop' we continued up the Coventry Canal through Nuneaton and Atherston.

Lock 3, Atherstone on the Coventry Canal.

We now were into May as we passed Polesworth and Tamworth where we stopped. We stopped at Fazeley Junction so we could attend a reunion of my old Venture Scout/Ranger Guide Unit from the 70's and then continued up the Coventry Canal. The weather was definitely turning more pleasant and we had a great couple of days moored up near Hopwas Wood.

Tamhorn Park Bridge, Hopwas Wood on the Coventry Canal.

Fradley Junction was our next milestone and we turned north on the Trent and Mersey Canal. Through Amitage and Rugeley and settled for a few days at Great Haywood and made a visit to Shugborough Hall. I remember that the weather was cold and wet there so the weather was hot and sunny yet. We moved on and had a very great day with an impromptu 'do' in the village hall at Weston on Trent. We later stopped at Barlaston and had a good visit to the Wedgewood Factory and Museum. I had a prolonged stay at Stone as Helen went home for a little while.

Joules old brewery building, Stone. Trent and Mersey Canal. The reason for this photo will become clear in a while!

We continued north and pulled in at Etruria in Stoke on Trent and then went up the Caldon Canal. The first bit of this canal is not brilliant visually but with lift bridges and sharp bends and narrow canals it keeps you occupied. Soon it becomes very picturesque and the rewards keep coming. We slowly headed to the Froghall Basin but wouldn't fit through the tiny tunnel at the end. We had some lovely walks and the scenery was great with spring finally sprung. It was very quiet traffic wise too.

Consall Forge Station on the Caldon Canal.

We headed back up to Hazelhurst Junction and turned on to the Leek Arm. This is definitely one of my favourite lengths of canal as it is so beautiful. We found Leek itself quite an interesting place and this is where I had a pint of Joules Bitter. It was one of the nicest pints I had tasted in ages. Mind it isn't brewed in Stone anymore. More of this in a latter blog.

Hollinhay Wood on the Leek Arm of the Caldon Canal.

To end May we headed back down to Etruria and then continued north with our first passage of the Harecastle Tunnel on 'Holderness'. We met one of my brothers and his wife the other side and we went over the aqueduct at Hardings Wood Junction and on to the Macclesfield Canal. We had extra hands so carried on up the Bosley Flight and they left us after a very long day At Macclesfield

Snake or Roving Bridge 43 on the Macclesfield canal near to the Gurnett Aqueduct. These snake bridges are a great feature of the 'Macc'.

Looking back through the photos reminds me that the weather wasn't brilliant all the time but as the days lengthened and nature started clothing the trees the seasons become much more noticeable when you are out in the open all the time. We were getting to grips with the life and learning how best to live on the boat for us. We were really looking forward to the summer.

Last day of the trip.

Tuesday 22nd October.

Normally, when away at sea, the last day of a trip was a day of anticipation, excitement and happiness. Today is the day we leave the boat after six months to go back to being land based and just visit the boat and I'm really not too sure how to feel.

After a car load of stuff taken yesterday we still seem to have another full car load for today. I had been congratulating myself on the fact that we haven't put too much junk aboard but I think it is mainly clothes and foot wear and bedding etc.

This was the picture when we were about to leave today

and

this was the picture the day we moved on to the boat on 13th April. The scenes are very similar if not quite so sunny.

Once we had packed everything we were taking and then given the boat a good scrub out internally I had time to go to the outside and put rust converter on any little spots I could see on the paintwork. I squirted WD40 in all the padlocks, hinges, external switches etc and catches. I turned the Hurricane heating unit off and set up the greenhouse heaters so that they come on when the internal temperature drops below 5deg. I plan to go back fairly soon and check everything over again. Just as well as forgot to turn the gas off and left the fuse panel on too. I need to do an engine and filter change and need to top the fuel tank right up too to minimise condensation in the tank and so getting in the fuel and maybe assisting the fuel bug to get established. I have a few other jobs to do over the winter so hopefully we will be back and forwards regularly. 

Helen is feeling quite sad with the thought of leaving our home for the past six months.

She cheers up a little when we talk of going out for long weekends, or a trip down to Doncaster or Sheffield!

Now we are land based for a while I wont be blogging everyday but will get something down at least every week and hopefully more often when the mood takes me. I'd like to thank all of you who have read this. It started out as just keeping in touch with my Mum and family whilst I am away but has now been viewed about 12000 times from folk in UK, USA, Russia, NZ, Poland, Germany, France, China, Sweden, Indonesia, Hungry, Singapore, Ukraine, Australia, Greece and Hong Kong. I am not computer savvy really but assume these places will be where the server used is sighted but still I am impressed.

Much More impressive though is the fact that I actually have two 'followers'. I think this is when somebody clicks on my sight and adds it to their own so that they can come to my site directly. (please don't quote me though). I would like to thanks them very much for actually putting their name to this stuff and like to say a personal hello and thanks to John R from Stirling in Western Australia and the Crew of the Festina Lente. Both follow lots of other boaters blogs so I am reassured that there is no element of stalking going on. 

Good luck to all those continuously cruising this winter. Our  hopes are to be with you sometime but with a house, children and other responsibilities it is not to be just yet.

Please keep checking out for my less frequent postings over the next few months.

Good Luck and goodbye for now.

Last day out.

It was a better day today but still overcast and with a little drizzle in the air. We didn't have far to go today so we didn't get off early. Just a little way outside of Stainforth is Hatfield Colliery. The rail station is called Hatfield and Stainforth Colliery. I saw that the only high ground in the area was a slag, or waste tip from the Hatfield Colliery. I thought that the mine was closed was surprised to see work on the top of the tip. It turns out that the mine has had a chequered recent history but is still currently in production.

Hatfield Colliery Waste Tip.

The mine was originally opened in 1916 and worked continuously through to 1993 when the series of major closures of deep mines took place, and Hatfield was not spared. However it rose again after a management buyout in 2004. Unfortunately that only lasted until 2001 when the receiver had to be called in. That same year a Richard Budge bought the mine but again couldn't sustain  the profits and was again closed in 2003. By 2006 Budge had formed a new company, Powerfuel, with another foreign investor. It seems that the plan was to have the mine in production, build a clean coal power station and power the generation with the coal. The plant was experimental with only a small pilot plant having been tested in Germany. On top of that carbon capture was to be used with the carbon being piped to the North Sea and pumped down disused oil and gas wells. Unfortunately the project did not raise sufficient capital and has been shelved. However the mine has been in production since April 2007 and this would explain then bulldozers on the waste tips.

Land slip at Hatfield Colliery.

In February 2013 the waste heap moved and as can be seen from the above photo caused much damage to the railway lines there. Bus services had to replace the passenger trains until it was repaired which happened just recently.

There are many of these old working barges on the canals hereabouts. Some have had a complete renovation and are live aboards and some are in various states of repair and alteration. It would be a big task to take on the work, but the cost of maintaining one must be very onerous too.

Amy steered until we got close to Thorne Lock.

Staniland Marina.

Thorne had been a centre of boat and ship building since 1858 when Richard Dunston moved his operation there from Torksey. The yard just down from the lock was pretty self contained with a wood yard, ropery, sail maker etc. They started building clinker built vessels and then moved on to the smooth hulled carvel type. They were a pioneer of welding in ships from 1933. During WWII they designed and built TID tugs(Tugs in Dock). These were prefabricated in eight main parts not weighing more than 6 tons. These sections could be made at no specialist factories. they were then brought to the yard and welded together and fitted out. They were very succesful and for over a year a TID tug left the yard every five days. Building ceased in 1984 and the company closed altogether in 1987 and the yard is now a housing estate.

There is a swing bridge just at the top end of Thorne Lock. It has to be opened before you can access this lock. We 'held' up a  refuse lorry but even when it was closed again they remained to act as spectators for us lowering down. They waved us off and then got back to work.

Just round the corner are two bridges the high level road bridge can easily be passed under. For some reason they decided to spend lots of money on a swinging pedestrian bridge almost underneath the road bridge called Princess Royal Bridge. Very nice to prevent the pedestrians having to climb all the way over and mix with the traffic. It was designed to be manual but a single hydraulic motor will also move it. The Pricess Royal opened it in October 2005. Unfortunately the design was poor and very quickly it couldn't be opened by passing boaters and they had to continually call out the council. It is just left permanently open now as a big white elephant.

We were soon at our destination and backing in to our designated berth through the tight moorings. we slid in with no problems and hooked up to the electricity. We started to pack and clean. Our son arrived in the mid afternoon and took a car load home along with Amy who had a meeting to attend. This left us more room to complete the packing up and cleaning of the boat ready for the winter.

Almost there.

Monday 21st October.

The day started off very wet and didn't look like stopping for a good few hours so we set off despite the rain.

Our mooring for the night, just below Sykehouse lock on the New Junction Canal. Taken the night before.

As I said yesterday the canal is dead straight so I got underway on my own, no sense in anybody else getting too wet. Actually as the wind wasn't blowing into my face it wasn't too bad at all as it was still fairly warm. There was about a mile and a half before we came to the first lift bridge of the day at Kirkhouse Green. There was still traffic on the bridges even though the habitation appears very sparse in these parts. The operation of the locks and bridges has gone without mishap this year so there were no real hold ups for anybody. Next was the Top Land Lift Bridge and then the Long Lane Swing Bridge. Then comes the highlight of the New Junction Canal, The River Don Aqueduct.

The River Don Aqueduct. The draft in the New Junction canal is around 2.75m this means that as the canal is not very much higher than the river, and taking into account this draft the bottom of the aqueduct trough is not very far above the level of the River Don. As the River Don can flood and has protective flood banks that are higher than the level of the canal guillotine gates are fitted either end of the aqueduct to prevent the River Don in flood rising higher than the canal (but still below the river flood banks) and so flood the surrounding areas via the canal. As we approached we saw two workmen loitering around the gate controls and wondered whether they were going to close the gates for a test. There had already been warnings of torrential rain and wind the following weekend. Luckily they were just checking it all over.

As the aqueduct cross the River Don the canal trough is used as a spill way directly into the river to maintain levels. The wind had got up by now and the spray was blowing back over and across the canal. The photograph doesn't really show this too well.

A few hundreds yards after the aqueduct is the 330 degree turn into the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. The canals are so wide so this bend is easily taken in a 60' narrow boat. Very shortly afterwards and you are upon Bramwith Lock. This was heavy work for Helen with the wind and rain but we managed it okay together. 

Helen closing the half lock after we had penned down. The lock gate beams were certainly big bits of timber but were obviously not long enough for the weight of the gate and gear as to increase the lever extensions had been bolted on each of them. This can be seen just by Helen as she is pulling on it in the photograph above.

There were some interesting boats moored around the lock. There were a few keel size vessels and the best of them was the 'Evageline'.

Sheffield size Keel 'Evageline' near Bramwith Lock. Evageline was built in the mid 1920's for Joe Sutton of Thorne. She was constructed at Hessle on the Humber by Henry Scarr. The  steel hull would have cost about £1100, the running and standing rigging about £200, the sails about £50 and a cog boat about £9. Joe Sutton paid £100 extra to have the cabin fitted out in mahogany. So the whole thing would be working for less than £2000. On Mr Sutton's death in early 1930's she was sold to Arthur Whitehead of Stainforth. In 1936 she was fitted with an 18HP diesel Lister engine at Donald Scarr's yard at Howdendyke. It was the first of these two cylinder engines in the area and may have been fitted free as a demonstration model. She was sold again in 1939 to Richard Hodgson and Son of Beverley. They were tannery owners in Flemingate. They retained her ownership until the factory closed in 1975.

Very soon after the lock comes the service area and we need to get rid of the rubbish and empty other things too. By the time we had tied up the rain had stopped and the sun was even trying to come out. The Bramwith swing Bridge was right next to the services so it was an easy job to slip through and continue on our way.

On the Bramwith Services mooring with the swing bridge in the background.

We weren't going too much further as we had decided to stop the night at Stainforth. An early'ish finish at 1300 meant that we could celebrate my birthday in style. In the end we just stayed put on the boat and cracked a bottle of wine.

Lovely autumn colours on the Stainforth and Keadby Canal.

Sobriety!

Sunday 19th October.

We had a little lay in after our latish night last night, but the day dawned sunny but cool.

Our mooring in the morning. The white post is the base of an old swinging crane which worked the cargo on the wharf.

After a few minutes we passed an old mill that used to grind barley for  feed stuffs but now just seems to be used to stick mobile phone masts on. The reception should be good round here. Eggborough Power Station is seen not to far away. The furnace chimney is 200m tall and there are eight cooling towers. There are four  generating units giving 1960MW of power which is enough to power 2 million homes (equivalent to Leeds and Sheffield together). It started producing electricity in 1967. The smoke stack has electrostatic precipitators that give ash particles a charge and means they are attracted to screens to stop them being lost up the chimney. 99% of ash is retained this way. It is sold to make building blocks and what is left is placed in ash lagoons nearby that eventually become landscaped and used as farm land. Two of the four generators are fitted with flue gas desulphuristaion units that retain 90% of the sulphur by running the gas through limestone where it reacts and alters to gypsum which is sold to make plaster board etc. Better than going up the chimney. They can also burn biomass that is used along with the coal that comes by road and rail and is blown into the surface as a dust finer than bathroom talcum powder.

Eggborough Power Station

We were soon passing under the M62 and came to Whitley Lock. I have seen this lock many many times as we pass up and down the motorway and now I was going to be using it.

Whitley Lock on the Aire and Calder Canal.

The canal remains wide and with very low laying countryside you get very extensive skies. As we approached Pollington Lock we could see a boat penning up. It turned out to be the Sheffield size Humber keel 'Sobriety'. She was built in Beverley in 1910 and has a project named after her were the maintenance/conversion and operation of this type of vessel was used to provide occupation and stimulation to youths, offenders etc etc and is based in Goole. The Yorkshire Waterways Museum is also run by the charity and is well worth a visit if you can. It used to be free. 'Sobriety can be hired for about £400 for a couple of days and can take 12 'crew'. Pollington Lock is one of the largest on the whole canal system. It's other claim to fame is that the first locks gates not made out of oak or green heart were installed here. They used an African hardwood called Opepe.

Humber Keel 'Sobriety' leaving Pollington Lock with a birthday party aboard.

There are several swing bridges that have gone missing on this stretch which saves a bit of work for the crew. On the passage down this stretch of canal I noticed that small trees and shrubs crowing out behind the steel shuttering had been cropped. The cuttings had been placed in the rough. I passed a nice big pile and decided as it was lunch time I would pull over. The size of the stems was just right for our small stove and it was just a matter sawing the long stems off at the right length with very little extra work. I cut away whilst lunch was prepared and stowed them under the solar panels. They will dry out nicely for next season. It will make a great weekend out over the winter to cut and collect more too.

Took the photograph but didn't help collect the fruits of my labours.

Sothfield Reservoir near the junction of the New Junction Canal and the Aire and Calder Canal. It was built following the enlargement of the locks on the canals and the building of Ocean Lock at Goole in 1930's. It used to maintain the level when Ocean lock is used. There are two sailing clubs on it along with a good fishing site and a good place for bird spotters. 

Opposite the Southfield Reservoir is the junction with the New Junction Canal. This also marks the start of the South Yorkshire Navigations. The New Junction Canal was opened in 1905 and was the last canal to be built until modern times. It was built to access Doncaster and Sheffield coal mining areas as the River Don hadn't been improved enough for larger modern vessels. It is actually dead straight with an aqueduct at each end. At the north end the canal passes over the River Went as seen above. 

After the River Went aqueduct come the Sykehouse Road Lift bridge. Despite it being a very rural area there were plenty of cars passing over this, and all the other bridges on the canal. The electrically operated bridge was nice and quick to operate though, which is probable why Helen was smiling.

The swing bridge in the middle of Sykehouse Lock.

After another swing bridge we came to Sykehouse lock. This is unusual as it has a swing bridge crossing the middle of the lock. In order to operate the hydraulics for the lock you have to use your key to open the bridge and place it in the open position. Even here we managed to delay a tractor or two. We decided to call it a day and moored in a very quiet spot just the other side of the lock. The lock house had been up for sale by auction earlier in the month and the three bed property went for £142,000.