Narrowboat Aussies

Month: August 2015

  • Lymm 30/8/15

    Lymm 30/8/15

    Warrington, UK

    My, we are sure slowing down. I know the last blog was on Tuesday and it has been 5 days but we have only moved 3 miles – how slack!!!!

    Actually this is a Bank Holiday weekend (public holidays in Australia) and we decided to relocate to near Lymm (lovely little village) and find a nice mooring to wait out all the holiday canal traffic and madness. And judging by the movements this morning – a very wise choice.

    We enjoyed our Sunday on a Tuesday and made an early start on Wednesday to take a walk to nearby Dunham Massey Hall, a beautiful old building surrounded by acres of gardens and parkland with many deer, and used during World War 1 as a hospital for soldiers injured severely enough to be returned to “old Blighty”. It is now managed by the National Trust and on the day we visited (the end of school holidays here) the car park was full and many hundreds of people were enjoying the surrounds.

    Malcolm and Bob had discovered the local pubs and chosen their favourite on their “Sunday” pub crawl on Tuesday, so took us to see the rather lovely Swan with Two Nicks before we made our separate ways back to the boats. Somehow we went two completely different ways with Bron and Julia arriving first despite taking a much longer route!?

    We had run into Cherryl and Ian from NB Winedown on our way out in the morning and invited them back for happy hour that afternoon. Once they arrived we heard of their epic journey around the canals since we left them in Bugsworth Basin on the Peak Forest Canal back in mid June. It seems that they had to back track often and were stranded for extended periods of time due to infrastructure failures on the Rochdale canal. So glad we decided not to do that one although they reassure us that it is probably all fixed now because they broke it as they moved through – both ways. Think we will give it a miss…..

    We enjoyed another night of fun and laughter catching up and did it all again on Thursday night. For some reason Julia suggested that the boys take a look at the Dunham Massey Brewery on Thursday and take Ian with them. It seems that that was an offer to good to refuse and they set off quickly before we could change our minds. Cherryl joined Julia and Bron for a walk through Dunham Town, stopping for coffee and cake, and onto the grounds of Dunham Massey Hall. The opportunity to photograph the many beautiful deer roaming the grounds was too good for Cherryl, who announced her stealth by stepping on a branch (craaack!!) and managing to take photos of more deer bums than anything else as they ran away from her. She even managed quality control checks in the tourist shop by identifying that none of the stuffed deer toys were local – they didn’t have the telltale black lines on their bums!!!!

    We eventually wandered into the Swan with Two Nicks intending to have a bite of lunch, only to find our three men already happily set up having ordered lunch and knocking back their “first” beers!!! We declined their gracious offer to join them (none was actually made) and settled in the dining room, engaging the waitresses in a fun game of “who’s paying” and “where should women be!” as they ran messages between the two parties!!

    All good things must come to an end but not before another raucous happy hour and farewells to Winedown. The boys had managed to get a sample box of the brewery’s wares delivered to the bridge near our mooring and spent the evening trying them all. and of course we demolished the lovely cheese Ian had rescued from the farm shop (apparently he rescued another wedge the next day and didn’t have to share that one!!).

    So we waved a fond farewell as we passed them in the morning and travelled the three miles to Lymm where we have been moored ever since!!!! We have done a couple of walks into town for supplies, and a spot of impulse buying, and Julia and Bron explored the Lymm Dam  on Saturday.

    But the major achievement has been to book our flights for our visit to Australia in December. We think the kids will be pleased to see us!!!!!!!

     

  • Greater Manchester and beyond 25/8/15

    Greater Manchester and beyond 25/8/15

    Altrincham, Altrincham WA14, UK

    After ten very busy days, we are finally moored enjoying our Sunday ritual on a Tuesday on a lovely rural mooring at Dunham Town. The last week has had children, birthday, awful and fantastic weather, a reunion with friends and being pleasantly surprised at the run through Manchester.

    In the last update we were moored at Heaton’s Bridge awaiting the arrival of Will and Lucy, Malcolm and Julia’s two grandchildren. They stayed on Figment for 5 days and certainly kept us entertained and on our toes. But we have to admit – they couldn’t have been better behaved or more fun.

    Once they arrived it wasn’t long before Will had Malcolm and Bob out kicking the football (soccer for our Aussie friends) on the field adjacent to the pub. Meanwhile, Lucy did a canalboat-top performance of her dance routines to much cheering from the crowd!!!.  And then it was time to introduce them to the daily ritual of “happy hour”. By the end of the stay they were preparing the snacks and always the first to ask – “what made you happy today?”. This is a great way of reflecting on the day and focusing on all the really great experiences rather than the bad (eg weather!!!!).

    They helped on Tuesday with the swing bridges before taking us shopping in Burscough for supplies!!! No hope of going hungry in either boat after that! And then onto great rural moorings in Moss Bridge where we went blackberry picking and gathered enough for an apple and blackberry crumble on Tuesday night.

    A short stop in Parbold for a look around on Tuesday before the kids  got to help out on the locks – fitted with safety gear of course. And then another rural mooring in Appley Bridge. We decided to get to Wigan before the weather got too bad on Wednesday and managed to moor up outside the CRT office (where we moored on the way to Liverpool) breasting up with Judith from Debbie Do-Little (who we had met in Salthouse Dock in Liverpool) and our old friends Jim and Chris on Sylph. Happy hour went for 4 hours that night while outside the rain came tumbling down. We moored up it just before it started!!!!

    On Thursday we dodged the rain and made a run along the Leigh Arm of the Leeds and Liverpool towards Manchester, finally picking up fantastic moorings near Pennington Flash Country Park. This section is in a previously heavily mined area with significant land subsidence over time, but now has been transformed into beautiful lakes and parkland – a perfect spot for a three night mooring.

    On Thursday afternoon Julia and Bron went walking with Will and Lucy to the park and discovered a small funfair where they had a couple of rides followed by the all important ice cream. This area is well set up with large grassed areas, play equipment and several bird hides to view the many species that make this area their home. There is also a golf course but we left that alone.

    Friday was Bron’s birthday and after lots of skype calls and birthday wishes on facebook (thank you social media for making this possible) we went to Figment for gift unwrapping and brunch. They had decorated their boat with balloons and banners and Julia even put candles in a Bounty Bar for a birthday cake. It was all a lovely surprise and will count amongst the most relaxed and memorable birthdays. Judith caught up with us for a cup of tea before moving on again and then Will and Lucy were picked up by their father. We had such a great time with them we were sorry to see them go and it all seemed a little quiet for a while. But we had to prepare to go to the local pub for a birthday dinner where the food was great but the surroundings just a little tired!!!

    A slow start to Saturday (must have been the celebratory bottle at work!!) we finally arose and were soon joined by not only Jane and Michael from Moody Blues but also Jim and Chris on Sylph. Once they were all safely moored we met up with tables, chairs, drinks and snacks on the towpath for a good old catch up in the gorgeous sunshine. We are truly blessed to have met such caring and fun people here on the canals and they will stay friends for always.

    All good things must come to an end and we finally retired for the evening. Although our Sundays are usually marked with a cooked breakfast on Figment, pub for Malcolm and Bob while Bron does the blog and Julia cleans before meeting up and playing Rumikub, we decided to take advantage of the weather to make progress through Leigh (stopping off to replenish supplies – again) mooring near the Astley Pit Museum. Again due to predicted changeable weather (standard here in England it seems) we postponed our Sunday ritual again on Monday choosing instead to make the run through Greater Manchester, over the Manchester Ship Canal and through the suburbs to pick up a rural mooring again Monday night. We were all pleasantly surprised by how lovely some parts of the canal were through this area and how clean. Of great surprise was the ochre coloured water as we were entering the outskirts near Worsley, caused by dissolved iron ore. More ludicrous was the random lighthouse – someone following their passion I guess!!!!

    But we are now here enjoying Sunday on Tuesday – that’s what you do on a canal boat!!!!!

  • Back to Heaton’s Bridge 16/8/15

    Back to Heaton’s Bridge 16/8/15

    We spent our last three days in Liverpool very productively. Bron and her personal shopper Julia went in search of wedding outfits for the two celebrations we will attend on our visit to Australia earlier next year and successfully achieved our aim!! And a bit more as Julia accidentally made a couple of purchases of her own! Meanwhile Bob and Malcolm disappeared on “men’s business” – an activity that has required a significant time commitment during our Liverpool sojourn!!!! Not sure exactly what it meant but do have in our possession a postcard of some 42 pubs on the official Liverpool Pub Crawl. Enough said…..

    With Monday being so successful, Julia and Bron set about doing penance on Tuesday, making sure that the laundry and inside cleanliness of each boat was completely up to date taking full advantage of the available power and water. A little bit of boat exterior cleaning and tidying was also undertaken by the boys and then Figment (with Bob cadging a ride) cruised to the facilities and all surplus waste ballast from both vessels was summarily dismissed. We were all getting a bit somber as the time for departure neared.

    However on our last day, Wednesday, we went shopping – for supplies of course! oh and a couple of outdoors folding chairs for Celtic Maid and a couple of pairs of great trousers for Bron and…… Gotta love shopping sprees when the credit card is near its limit – adds a thrill to the exercise. Bob and Malcolm took a tour of the underground dry docks – apparently very interesting as the streets and buildings are built over them. Liverpool is a very captivating city with many depths. We were able to enjoy a last evening of happy hour sitting on the pontoon (on the new chairs of course) and generally lamenting that our time had come to an end here. I have it on good authority that the sunset walk overlooking the Mersey prompted romantic proposals from our companions but I mustn’t give details away!!!!!

    A very early start on Thursday morning as we had to be out of Salthouse Dock, through Albert and Canning Half Tide Docks ready for the first lock at Mann Island by 8 am. We were all a bit sad but excited to be on the next adventure although at the time we didn’t know what that would be. All went well through the docks and up the Stanley Lock flight (although Celtic Maid and Figment had been separated and paired with other boats for the journey) and we set off along the run through to Bridge 9 where the CRT staff would release us from the guided passage of the Liverpool Canal Link.

    Alas just a few bridges along the accelerator cable on Celtic Maid seized and jammed the throttle full on. We managed to get into the bank and turn the motor off and with a few adjustments we were able to limp on. Not long later it seized again just as we were starting to wonder why Figment was not following. Just as we got going again and Figment caught up (they had to clear their weed hatch from weed around the propellor) we got a prop full of weed and had to stop to clear that. We made very slow progress as we couldn’t adjust the speed at the risk of having the cable seize again. So we finally got to the first swing bridge at Litherland with only Figment and a stray boat waiting for us. Through we went and maintaining a snail’s pace proceeded to the first CRT manned bridge to find everyone else through and Julia cheering us on as the CRT staff were about to leave us to our own devices so they could get to bridge 9 and open that. All went well until we got to Bridge 9. The bridge was opened as we all arrived and we were going through when Figment put out their  distress signal. After quickly mooring Celtic Maid, Bob went back over the now closed bridge to give them a hand to find that they had a carpet wrapped around their prop. With the CRT staff holding the boat and Malcolm furiously cutting it away for Julia and Bob to dispose of they cleared it in time to meet the 3.00pm deadline for the bridge – after that the traffic is too dense to risk opening it hence the need for CRT staff to control its opening.

    We got through bridge 10 and moored up next to two other boats that we had travelled through from Liverpool with. They kindly assisted Bob to replace the cable and we were thankful for the kindness, patience and support of all our travelling companions.

    Arising Friday morning we offered gratefulness that the weather had held off for our trip on Thursday as it had rained all night and continued throughout the morning. We stayed put and enjoyed a relaxing start to the day. As those leaving Liverpool on Friday limped past us in the pouring rain in the early afternoon we gave thanks again as we had another cup of tea in our dry warm boats.

    A quick walk in the afternoon through the local village of Melling followed by happy hour on Figment and dinner on Celtic Maid and we were once again ready to rest up for our trip to Heaton’s Bridge on Saturday. Fortunately this was extremely uneventful until we neared our destination and found the entire canalside full of a fishing competition making mooring impossible. A quick review of the situation and we located the visitor moorings on the offside right by the pub. Serendipity indeed.

    A gypsy caravan and cart arrived in the afternoon to camp beside the pub overnight – Bob took off early this morning for a few photos and a chat with the father and son who maintain these vehicles and horses as a passion.

    This morning over our delicious Sunday morning treat (cooked breakfast by Malcolm) we also witnessed a superhero bike ride by some 40 odd riders all dressed up to save the world and cycling across the bridge and down to the tow path on their quest for world peace and harmony.

    While Bob and Malcolm have a cheeky half pint at the Heatons Brindge Inn, we await the arrival of Malcolm and Julia’s two grandchildren who will accompany us for the next few days.

    Think we are going to be busy…..

  • Liverpool 9/8/15

    Blackpool, Blackpool FY1, UK

    We are still in Liverpool enjoying our “holiday”!!!! And despite very variable weather, have managed to get out and about doing the sightseeing touristy thing – kind of enjoying it.

    All of this fun and games took place once we had broken the back of our pressing maintenance jobs on Celtic Maid. With a little help from our friends (get that Liverpool Beatles reference??) we now have the rust removed and newly painted gas locker and engine bay floor. Hooray – we won’t sink today!!

    And then we were off. Within easy walking distance from our moorings in Salthouse Dock we were able to

    • investigate the history and cultural development of the City of Liverpool through the amazing exhibits in the Museum of Liverpool
    • understand the horror of slavery and its link to Liverpool history at the International Slavery Museum
    • discover the huge connection with shipbuilding and cruise liners at the Merseyside Maritime Museum
    • empathise with the impact on children of their (often forced) migration to Australia and Canada
    • appreciate our own and other’s artistic talents at the Tate Liverpool gallery
    • connect with the beauty and reverence of the amazing Liverpool Cathedral
    • spend some time in the Cavern Club in Matthew Street – the starting venue for a number of very famous musical acts over the years
    • sign the condolence book for Cilla Black – a Liverpool lass of great talent who sadly died last weekend
    • continue our love affair with the ease of shopping in Liverpool.

    Whew…. But wait there is more!

    We spent a day taking the train to visit the beautiful area of Port Sunlight built by the Levers of detergent and soap fame to house their workforce in healthy and safe environments. It is now 80% privately owned and all the gardens are maintained by the Sunlight Trust who also run the Port Sunlight Museum, Bridge Cottage and other attractions. We also took the time to wander through the Lady Lever Art Gallery –  home to a huge collection of art and artefacts collected by the Lever family. Visit the Port Sunlight website to find out more – well worth the visit.

    On Friday we invested a day to experience Blackpool – holiday destination to the English for generations. A seaside resort (now ageing sadly) it boasts many small hotels on the foreshore, a long and very clean sandy beach that experiences massive tidal changes, three long piers full of entertainment and fun, and the Pleasure Beach complex of rides and attractions. Not to mention cheek by jowl fish and chip shops, icecream parlours, and all manner of stalls selling kites, toys, hats, memorabilia, blackpool rock, fairy floss and other candy!!! We had a wonderful trashy experience complete with a “Kiss Me Quick” hat for Bron lovingly presented by Malcolm. And the 90 minute train journey each way was also a bit of an adventure with many mint fights (sorry Malcolm – Bron ate the last soft mint!!!) and crisp munching (do you ever stop eating Julia and Bob???). What a great fun day – highly recommended!!!!

    Luckily the weather has treated us well for the last few days and we hope it continues as we prepare to leave on Thursday. But the consensus is that it is a great place to visit by narrowboat and highly recommended.

  • Liverpool 2/8/15

    Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside L3, UK

    Our main goal this week was to get into Liverpool and we made it!!!!

    Despite the weather (it is more like a Renmark winter at the moment than an English summer!! or maybe they are the same thing?????), the logistics (of getting fuel, offloading waste etc) and those pesky swing bridges, we finally arrived Tuesday early afternoon at our rendezvous point – Swing Bridge 9. Here we waited as 5 more narrowboats and an hotel widebeam boat arrived to form a convoy for our booked journey on the Liverpool Link into Salthouse Dock on Wednesday morning. As we arose so did our excitement in anticipation of this hitherto unknown experience. We had of course read the reams of information and studied the maps that described in detail all the rules and regulations, and helpful hints, about how to make this last leg a safe and successful experience. And we had heard the stories of other boaters.

    So with our pram cover securely fastened (thank you NB Moody Blues), our instructions and maps at the ready and the convoy behind us we set of through the first bridge (opened by CRT staff only) and wound our way through the outskirts of Liverpool towards our destination. All was going very well – despite the rain – until we approached the services point in Litherland only to find a bridge, not previously mentioned or defined on the map, clearly blocking our path. Bob got off to work out what to do, with the rest of the convoy coming to a halt behind us, and we were relieved when the CRT worker turned up – tea mug in hand- not having expected us so soon!!!!

    He opened the bridge and we got through, quickly disposed of waste at the service point and rejoined the convoy in 4th place – a much more comfortable position. Then off to the series of locks and meanderings through the docks to reach our moorings. It was all wow from here – the sights, the smells, the sheer size of things!!!! And we were so stunned with how everything seemed to work together – old and new buildings, huge ships and tiny boats, cityscape and docklands. Just amazing.

    On arrival at Salthouse Dock we discovered that our assigned moorings were currently occupied, despite the work done by the staff in the Wigan CRT office to secure continuous moorings for our duration. No problem. Both Figment and Celtic Maid followed directions and waited patiently in temporary moorings until the CRT volunteer could work it out. She returned a little later with a staff member in tow who offered us an alternative. Figment were happy with theirs being able to move on Thursday morning to the mooring they had secured when we first booked (for a different time period) back in February. We however were offered one at nearly the other end of the dock until the lovely CRT guy assigned us the “ghost” mooring – the one with no number!!! we were delighted – despite the barely disguised grumblings of some near neighbours who wanted to know why they hadn’t been given it!!!!

    So, happily moored, we set off to celebrate with a Chinese meal – which we found in nearby Chinatown. Everything is close here.

    On Thursday after Figment moved to their new position (entailing swinging the stern around 90 degrees and mooring up again) Julia and Bron started in on their accumulated washing while Bob started to clean out the gas locker in readiness for a much needed spruce up. Technically our ballast is not as good as it should be and we have had our bow a little low in the water causing water to flow in through the drain holes in the gas locker resulting in rusting of the floor. We noticed the severity of the problem (we weren’t actually going to sink) when undertaking the Boat Safety Survey and decided to remedy the problem as a matter of some haste. It wasn’t as bad as it seemed once it was cleaned up but the process was interesting with Bron finding Bob at one stage completely inside the quite tiny gas locker – quite a feat!!! Meanwhile Malcolm was doing some running repairs and touch ups to Figment. We were all taking the much needed lull in travelling to get our homes in order!!!

    We also heard that Malcolm and Julia became grandparents for the 6th time with the birth of Fred – a little early but doing very well by all accounts. Our congratulations to the family!!!!

    Julia and Malcolm decided to take a walk around the docks and a look at the River Mersey on Friday morning. They came back to tell us they had found a fish and chippery (we had been craving a feed since we started coming into Liverpool), so we made Bob down tools and change for a trip out for lunch. The fish and chips were very good but we realised afterward that we should have shared 2 servings between the 4 of us!!!!! Waddling back to our boats we stopped to pick up brochures from the information centre so that we can plan to use our time here to see as much as possible. Whilst we have all had a look at these brochures we still haven’t decided what to do – you will have to wait for that bit of excitement.

    So after a day of shopping and odd jobs yesterday and following our usual pattern of Sundays today (breakfast on Figment followed by pub for the boys, blog for Bron and all sorts for Julia (sometimes licorice!!!) then roast dinner on Celtic Maid) maybe tomorrow we will get out and about and the weather will be kind to us.

    Fingers crossed…..