Autumn days when the grass is jewelled and the silk inside a chestnut shell

I remember this song from assemblies and the kids singing enthusiastically because it was such a catchy tune. The next line about  jet planes meeting in mid air to be re-fuelled was stretching it a bit to make the rhyme! However there is no doubt that this can be a particularly beautiful time of year, especially on crisp blue mornings like today.

We are on the Coventry canal which links the Trent and Mersey with the Birmingham canal routes as well as the Oxford canal. We have turned around today and are heading back to base slowly, making the most of our last few days out for this year while the weather holds. In the dark , cold days of winter it is easy to lose sight of these treasures, So I mustn't forget, no, I mustn't forget..... ( Lyrics from Autumn Days by Estelle White,  Come and Praise hymn book,)

Stillness

 We are back at the marina ostensibly  to "winterise" the boat : remove all the linens and soft furnishings, take home food which won't keep till March/April, drain the water tank, check the battery condition, replace the anti freeze, and generally prepare her for what may come in the next few months. The last two winters have been very hard and last year the boats were frozen in for nineteen days straight. The first thing that strikes me on our arrival is the stillness; not many boats moving around at this time of year and stoppages due to begin around the system next week, when the Canal and River trust start to do the repairs and improvements needed to keep 2000 miles of the canal network navigable. They have their work cut out this winter on our home canal , the Trent and Mersey, due to a huge breach which occurred earlier this month during the prolonged, heavy rain. A large section of embankment failed and massive repairs are in progress , estimated to cost £1.5 million. Harsh in this first year of the Trust's life as a charity! But here all is quiet and still. The water looks thick and oily, and flat like a mirror, as you can see by the way the almost full moon is reflected in its surface. We may be forced to take a final turn out for a few days before we shut her up for winter.....it's all to beautiful.

I can see clearly now the rain has gone (almost)

Near Moreton hall, Cheshire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After  three days of almost continuous heavy rain and high winds, I woke early this morning to the sound of...no rain. I saw through the porthole that a mist lay over the fields but the sun was trying to shine through, and some areas of blue sky were visible. So I slipped on my dressing gown and quickly popped out onto the tow path and snapped off a few pictures before the mist burned off. It was absolutely beautiful, although chilly! Only the cows were around to witness me in bare feet and nightwear thank goodness.

The water was so still, as no boats were moving around this early and the only sounds were birds, and cows lowing in the field. It is rare, in my busy city life to experience moments of peace like this. It was a privilege.

Historic Bugsworth basin

We motored into Bugsworth near the end of the Peak Forest canal with no real expectation, other than a place to moor, maybe a pub and a tap for filling the boat's water tank. What we discovered was a labour of love. This had been at one time, back in the 19th century, the largest inland port on the canal system, a hive of industry:  limestone was brought by boat and embryonic tram lines from nearby quarries, and here, amid acrid smoke, it was pulverised and poured into huge lime kilns to be transformed into a building material used for mortar, and also for agricultural use to fertilise  the land. By 1927 production moved elsewhere facilitated by the railways, many of the buildings were cannibalised  for stone and the place was left to go back to nature. By the early 1960s there was a move by the British Waterways board to close down this canal altogether. They didn't reckon with the enthusiasts of the Inland Waterways preservation society, who over 40 years, have lovingly restored it to something approaching its former glory and campaigned for the maintenance and restoration of the beautiful canal which takes you there. Bugsworth reopened in 2005 and is now a World heritage site. Hooray for the hard work and perseverance of the IWPS, some of whom did not live to see the fruition of their work. They have created something for future generations to enjoy. Not many of us achieve so lasting a mark on the landscape.

Part of the old tramway

Before restoration...what an undertaking!

www.brocross.com/iwps

Bugsworth basin in its working days around 1900 (picture courtesy of the IWPS)

                        

Oh what a beautiful morning!

We are on the Peak Forest Canal where we moored up quite late yesterday evening , as everywhere we tried was too shallow. When we stopped it was raining and grey, as it had been most of yesterday. This morning we awoke to brilliant sunshine and spectacular views from the windows.What a difference a day makes!

All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin.

It was wonderful to watch the farmer at work, stacking the bales of straw with a fork lift, then lifting them onto the trailer to be towed away to somewhere safe and dry, and all done at high speed and with precision. It's been a hard year for many farmers, many having lost their crops due to heavy rain and flooding in some areas and others affected by falling milk prices. A week's good weather saw them frantically trying to get the harvest in while it lasts. Amazing to think this was all being done by two people, one on the baler and one on the fork lift. Three  or four generations ago, when in the census , many of our ancestors would be described by the simple term Ag Lab, short for agricultural labourer, this field would have been busy with whole families cutting the corn, raking, stacking the corn into sheaves, threshing, gleaning, then making the straw into stacks for use during the winter. Those days are gone, farming is much less labour intensive and many of us are far removed from the source of the food we eat and often don't know or care how it has been produced. But we still need to be thankful for the work our farmers do and for a harvest safely gathered in.

So that explains it! Not the comfy armchair , part 2..

Today we arrived at Shardlow in Derbyshire and JD Narrowboats who built the Great Escape in 2009. Now  all becomes clear.  Talking to Andy who actually built the boat, we raised the question of the now famous "brown chair" that we had to cut up to get off the boat. They did, in fact, take the chair apart and re-assemble it on the boat! No wonder we couldn't get it out without destroying it. We started to think they built the boat around it! We were sort of right. Nice to talk to the guys who built her and for them to see how she is  doing  four years on and to see how loved she is.Today has been a beautiful day.

Pushy or what?!

Oh yeh and what else?

Moored by Branston Water park, near Burton on Trent. we were joined by a swan who obviously thought we had something he needed! I managed to find him a crust of good wholemeal bread which he dispatched in no time flat. However, that did not seem to be enough and there were moments when I thought he might climb in through the side hatch. It seems, sometimes, that the more we give, the more that is expected of us. And sometimes those who receive, become dependent on those handouts, and make no effort to provide for themselves. But I'm a sucker for a sad tale, and he did have a dodgy wing, so I gave in anyway.

Branston Water park, formerly old gravel pits.

Oh what a beautiful morning!

At the marina :Great Haywood

We got up with the intention of maybe doing some repairs and painting on the boat. But good weather is meant for boating, so, having filled the water and fuel tanks and emptied the other tank we don't like to think about, we set off for Rugeley and the chance for a supermarket sweep to replenish the larder.
We decided to stay  there on the visitor moorings overnight. After dinner, when darkness had fallen, we heard a boat coming, which is unusual on the canal. Looking out, we were pinned in the glare of a  huge searchlight approaching. Shortly, a boat moored up behind us, and the light was switched off. As usual, we got chatting to the occupants, and they explained that they had to be back to base the following day, and back to work the day after. Hence the late night cruising, and a planned early morning start the next day. It made me realize how glad I am to be retired and no longer struggling under that particular yoke any more. We are heading off for a couple of weeks, maybe, and heading towards Shardlow, possibly. And after that, well, we'll see.

A rose by any other name...

Today   we have come down from Longport in Stoke on Trent to just south of Stone.It has been a beautiful day and we have worked methodically through umpteen locks, calmly doing what needed to be done. Feeling very mellow as we putt, putted slowly through Stone, we were suddenly assailed by a contorted face through the side hatch of a moored boat. The poor man was ranting that he'd had his boat across the canal that afternoon because someone had gone by too fast, and continued to rant on as we continued gently past....I felt sure he was about to burst something.... then I noticed the name of his boat: Tranquillity!
I think every boat going by was getting a bit of it, despite the fact that none of us had been the culprit. It made me wonder how many other inappropriately named boats there are in the system, Harmony, Free Spirit,Happy days etc. Tonight in the middle of nowhere we looked up into the dark night sky and saw millions of  stars...true tranquillity.

All present and correct.

Martin and Margaret meet Judit!

After the successful arrival of our third crew member, Judit, on Saturday, we stayed in Great Haywood for one more night to attend the marina's annual Hog roast and general knees up, before setting off up The Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal on a reasonably bright shiny Sunday morning. Having survived wind rain and sun in rapid succession and sometimes together, we moored up at Penkridge where we treated ourselves to a roast beef dinner in The Boat, whilst taking the opportunity to catch highlights of the Hungarian Grand Prix and some glimpses of the Olympics, which we left east London to avoid!

Waterproofs on, waterproofs off, sun lotion on!

Monday evening brought us to the Fox and Anchor at Coven, although we did not venture in this time, but had a tasty home-made curry and some nice South African red wine. And now we are safely onto the Shropshire union canal and have moored up for the night just short of Brewood, (pronounced Brood), this time with no pub in site!

Not the comfy armchair!

The ill fated chair

Today we sawed a chair in half, as you do. The previous owners of our boat left a dark brown leather look bucket chair on board. We wondered why they didn't take it with them..that is, until we tried to get it out of the boat, to facilitate use of the new sofa bed! We tried it every which way and it was no go! I think they must have built the boat around it! Our guest is arriving tomorrow and needs to be able to sleep on the sofa bed. So out came the saw and with much puffing and not a few harsh words the sad chair was dismembered and finally exited the boat. It felt  really cruel to be destroying a perfectly good chair, but it had to go.The saloon now looks twice the size and the sofa bed clic clacs out nicely. Still feeling guilty though, it was comfy!

We're here and to prove it, we've arrived

Arrived back at the boat this afternoon ready for  Mike's 60th birthday tomorrow and away from the start of the Olympic games almost in our back garden,  followed by a hog roast on Saturday evening.
Looking forward to the arrival of our good friend Judit tomorrow...I hope she finds it ok, as she is driving solo for the first time, after years of being the co-pilot.

Home again, home again jiggety jig!

We got back to Great Haywood marina late on Tuesday afternoon after a leisurely four hours cruising. Another little voyage over. Wednesday proved a more pleasant day and was spent cleaning the boat from top to bottom,  bags were packed , the car loaded and we set off home at around 4 o'clock, sad to leave on such a beautiful day, when further boating beckoned. However, arriving home, it was good to see sons and cats (including a new addition, who seems to have adopted us!) and my, how the rhubarb has grown!

Nearly home.

Only one day's cruise away from the marina, we are moored up for the night near Aston,but not really anywhere. Quite noisy from the railway line, but it'll quieten down later I'm sure. After a day off yesterday for Mike to recover from an overdose of locks, we pushed on through Stone today, pausing only to take on fuel and replace a gas canister. This journey is nearly at an end and time to go home and sort out a bit of "real life". We didn't choose the name The Great Escape, the boat was already named, but it's turned out to be very appropriate.

Tails of the unexpected!

The Wedgwood  factory and visitor centre at Barlaston

Water stop at Etruria junction

A heavy day yesterday coming back through Stoke on Trent and back down to Barlaston, but just beyond the city centre, I saw the strangest thing. Looking into the water as I went along, a small branch was sticking up and on it was a small round, mud coloured disc about the size of a tea plate. As I drew level, a pair of beady eyes looked up at me, showing an orange throat, and into the water slipped a substantial terrapin! Not native to British waters, I suspect it was once a pet that got too big or aggressive for the terrarium which had  been released to take its chances in "the wild". They're fierce little creatures I've heard. Watch out ducks!

At the end of a long day....

Rain, rain go away...

Rain seems to have been a recurring theme in my blog this year. After the threat of drought and an ensuing  hosepipe ban earlier in the year, it has hardly stopped raining since or so it seems. Today we stayed put as the rain began at about 4 a.m this morning and has finally stopped at around 7 p.m. As we have 12 locks and 3 lift bridges to do on the next stage of the journey, we decided that today was not the best day to move on. I suppose if it's raining tomorrow we may have to bite the bullet anyway, and just shower dodge as best we can. Meanwhile, a little bit of blue has finally emerged with a hint of sunshine, so we're enjoying it while we can.

But it was worth it!

At Flint Mill: I expected a hobbit to walk round the corner at any moment!

Having trailed through the not so pleasant environs of Stoke earlier in the week, we had a slightly negative attitude to what we would find beyond. But a few days down the line and despite vast amounts of rain, I can truly say that it was worth persevering with the Caldon canal.

We have seen some stunning scenery, moored in some great places and last night visited The Hollybush, a lovely pub which served real ale, and good "pub grub"  food. There were subtle changes as we got into the Staffordshire moors: dry stone walls and cottages made with local stone, sheep on the hillsides.
The woodland areas along the Leek arm of the canal in the sunshine today were delightful. 

Approaching the Leek tunnel, not too scary , only 130 yards long!

We shall definitely return again, hopefully in better weather.

To Stoke and beyond!

Waiting for the lock, Stoke city centre.

We made (for us) an  early start because we wanted to get well clear of the city before we moored up for the night. No offence to Stoke on Trent, but it's not the prettiest of canalside cities, with every  effort spared  to embrace its canal history. We chatted briefly to a couple of Irish gentleman slightly worse for wear as they drank their cans of beer by the towpath and passed the time of day with three people occupying a bench where they were enjoying a blue plastic bottle of Diamond White (an extra strong white cider, 7.5% proof). Of course, there were joggers, cyclists and dog walkers too, but the former stuck in our minds and firmed our decision  to pass through  before nightfall.

We pressed on through five fairly deep locks and made the turn onto the Caldon canal in intermittent heavy rain, passing through the  fringes of the former pottery  making area Etruria where Wedgewood  and Claris Cliffe made their names.

Former pottery kilns in Hanley  

We  moored up at last  near a small town called Milton on the first good mooring spot we found. Then, finally, the sun came out! There seems to be some sort of event going on at the local pub with a DJ playing music outside, mainly old stuff, some of which we recognise. Let's hope it doesn't go on too long, it being Sunday night...but I think we may well sleep through it anyway. Must be getting old!

Down the road apiece

We haven't gone far, just a couple of hours down the canal, but we are glad to be out of the marina and out into the countryside.We were starting to get cabin fever, locked in between other boats. Here we can see the sky and the fields and only just hear the traffic on a distant road. it will quieten down once everyone has got home from work. We are heading northwards towards Stoke on Trent, formerly centre of the English pottery industry. But that's for tomorrow, tonight we are just enjoying being out on the water again.

Nearly ready for the off..

Yesterday we had a productive day finishing off our tasks.Sweeping the boat chimney was fun and cleaning out and wire brushing the stove produced equal amounts of soot, rust and dust. When all was cleaned up I set about painting it with stove blacking. I've got to say it looks splendid and black, as did I by the time I'd finished. Mike, meanwhile, was performing engine room and gas locker gymnastics which involved hanging over the engine upside down to paint the floor beneath and he has the bruises to prove it! We finished off the day with a sweet and sour stir fry which is a favourite boat meal, as neither of our sons will eat it at home!   Today began with dramatic thunderstorms and torrential rain with huge amounts of water falling on us for a couple of hours.. apparently some areas suffered flash floods and not too far from here a poor man was washed away when he tried to walk along a flooded road when his car became engulfed in the flood waters.      In the circumstances we decided it was not the best day to be boating. This proved a good decision when  Ned from Cabincare called to say our flyscreen was ready for the side hatch and he could come and fit it at five o'clock. We only ordered it on Monday. That's what I call service! So now we can have the hatch open in the evening without getting eaten by mozzies! Tomorrow for the off!

The other side of boat ownership

We are back at the Great Escape for the delivery of a sofa bed tomorrow and later in the week to head of  for a while to enjoy the canals before the school holidays begin and they become busy with hire boats. Nothing wrong with hire boats, that's how we started on our road to boat ownership nearly twenty years ago. In fact there's a lot to be said for being a hirer. You pick up the boat, all nicely cleaned, fueled and ready to go. You head off for a week or two and then you bring it back reasonably cleaned and tidied but someone else makes sure it's all ship shape and Bristol fashion! You get in your car and drive away (providing your battery has gone flat!) and there your responsibility ends.


With your own boat it's different. You do all the cleaning, empty the toilet tank, fill up the water tank, re-fuel, check the oil and make sure everything is ok. Which also includes keeping on top of rust and painting bits that get clunked, and painting the floor in the engine compartment and gas locker and re-blacking the wood burner and chimney.! So those are our jobs to be completed before we head off as our reward! 
But taking care of the boat and each other is what it's all about. And on a beautiful sunny evening we just watched an air balloon float past on a sunset flight from Shugborough Hall. A fitting end to a good day!

Crew member down.

We're feeling so sad at the loss of our very dear friend and co-conspirator, Steve Murray who let go and slipped very gently away on Thursday morning. It is only six short months since he was first taken ill and later it was discovered that the operation to remove a melanoma  from his arm had not done the trick. The wretched disease had spread and slowly stripped him of his strength, his speech and finally his dignity.We feel the loss of the strong , funny, capable, can-do man he was. Remembering so many  good times with him and Judit, and their children Danny, Robin and Nyasha, who are devastated by his passing. But at least for Steve the suffering is over. You deserved better.
                R.I.P.         Stephen Richard Murray  14.02.1951-14.06.2012

Back in the Smoke

Reluctantly,we had to come home on Wednesday  as I had a check up at The Royal London hospital to see if my knee replacement , done last April, was still ticketty boo. After an x-ray, I went in to see the doctor and was pronounced AOK. I then spoke to him about my OTHER dodgy knee, another x-ray ensued and I have gone on the waiting list for that to be similarly replaced. He could not say exactly how long, but guessed around three months time. I told him later rather than sooner would suit me better. I don't want to miss too much of the best boating  months! But thank God for the NHS! Long may it endure, so hands off Mr Cameron and pals!

Bank holiday...how can you tell?

It's barely stopped raining all day today. A few boats went by this morning decked out with flags and balloons but looking rather bedraggled, and the steerers looking less than happy, with water dripping off their noses! Several hire boats rattled by, some at high  speed, determined to make the most of their time afloat, weather or no! We decided to stay where we are, so we've had a lazy day reading, cooking, playing the guitar and recorder, listening to the radio and playing games online. The wind is buffeting us about and it's tipping down, as we sit recovering from "toad in the hole", roast and mashed potatoes, carrots, peas , green beans and gravy, followed by a slice of Mike's home made chocolate cake. I hope tomorrow is better, my waistline can't take much more of this!

Queen's Diamond Jubilee

Today is the first day of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. We only  boated for about 3 hours today , including 5 locks, but there were many boats dashing around early all in a rush to get somewhere.We don't have to be anywhere, so we are moored up in a quiet place with only one other boat in view. Mike lit the stove as it was  a bit chilly and I set about making dinner. It's cosy in our little boat when the stove is lit and before long it began to rain. In the distance we can hear the sound of a Jubilee firework display going on somewhere, but far more important , we can hear the sound of rain pitter pattering on the canopy and the screech of an owl in the trees outside. I know where I'd rather be.

Birthday afloat!

Yesterday was my 61st birthday and being away on the Great Escape meant there was just Mike and I to celebrate it. However due to the power of technology and a functioning Dongle (at last...thank you T-mobile!) I was able to receive messages from many friends and acquaintances all over the world via Facebook, as well as personal messages via text. Gone are the days when anyone can be totally cut off from the rest of the outside world, but on the green corridors of the canals you can pretend!

there is NOTHING--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.

The weather being beautiful, we set out for a trip down the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal. People ask us "Where are you heading?" and are often surprised by our answer that we are going nowhere in particular. We will go for several days and turn round and go back again. It's better to travel than to arrive,so they say........

The joy of the canal is that  round the next bend or under the next bridge may be an interesting old building, a beautiful view, or a herd of cows which really oughtn't to be in the newly sown wheat field! 

Just like life really, it's the journey that counts, we all know what the destination is...

Today we are back at the marina at Great Haywood. One of the reasons we came up at this time was the retirement of Jennie and Dave who have lived and worked at the Marina since before  it opened. Although we have only been here two years, they have made us feel welcome, given us advice and helped us out when we've had a problem. Ask anyone who works or moors here and they would tell you the same story. Jennie and Dave are just good people. The sheer number of people who turned up for their surprise party this evening  is a testament to the high regard in which they are held.  We wish them every happiness in their well deserved retirement and happy cruising!

Didn't it rain?

This is how it has mostly been since we set out from Great Haywood on Tuesday...we have just been down to Fazeley junction near Tamworth to give the boat a good run to charge up the batteries and to reacquaint ourselves with boating after a five month lay off. We never intended it to be this long but ill health and various crises have kept us away much longer than we planned. Of course, it also means we missed the lovely sunny weather last month and now seem to be in the monsoon season! 

I keep telling myself we need the rain, the canals need the rain, if we are to be able to cruise through the summer months. So just grit the teeth and dress up warm! 

It's maybe true what they say...sometimes we get what we need and not what we want!