Narrowboat Aussies

Year: 2016

  • December travels 21/12/16

    December travels 21/12/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As we left Gloucester Docks, waving a sad farewell to Jim, Chris and Gina as we passed through the locks, we knew we were embarking upon a journey of over 100 locks, 100 miles, half a dozen tunnels and very changeable weather. It was quickly obvious how the recent high river on the Severn had affected the banks and quantity of floating debris, and the dull brown toning of both land and water along with grey skies really set our somber mood.

    However, we knew we had work to do to get off the Severn before more rain fell and to find safe moorings by 15th December so that Bob could attend his much-needed eye appointment in London. A conversation with the lock keeper before we left made sure that the locks along the Severn were all booked for us, and also revealed his connection to our home town of Paringa, South Australia. His brother had travelled there to work but unfortunately died in a motor vehicle accident there about 12 years ago. He is now buried in the Paringa cemetery. And we heard this story on his birthday!!! Small world. The lock keeper seemed to find some comfort in talking about this and showed us the photo he keeps in his wallet.

    All went well and we were off the Severn by Sunday morning having left Gloucester on Friday. Of course, our luck ran out as soon as we entered the first lock on the Droitwich Canal. Above the lock, the canal was frozen over for some distance and we limped our way through the second lock to moor up and wait out the thaw. This took three days. Meanwhile, we went for walks, reviewed our route plan and prayed for warmer nights. Finally, by Wednesday we were able to fight our way through relatively minor frozen sections by breaking them up first and finally made it into the Droitwich Basin for the night.

    We left quite early on Thursday morning (8.00 in the semi-dark is very early for us!) as we tried to make up for lost time. Our goal of mooring at the bottom of the 30 lock Tardebigge flight was reached enabling us to conquer it and a few more miles on Friday.

    A much shorter day on Saturday through the Wast Hill Tunnel of 2726 yards and into the centre of Birmingham gave us the opportunity of finding very safe moorings at Cambrian Wharf, assisting a fellow boater with her electrical problems and time to take a walk to explore the Christmas markets. It didn’t take long for the throng of humanity and constant drizzle to tire us out and send us back to the sanity of Celtic Maid.

    Sunday was perhaps the ugliest day of all as we made our way through Birmingham – its industrial and suburban areas filled with rubbish (to get caught around the prop as it did) and graffiti, 27 locks in 3 flights, and Bob having a very nasty fall before we had gone 2 locks!! He is still sporting a very large bruise on his hip and thigh almost two weeks later that would give Picasso a run for his money in terms of both design and colour!!!!! A second slip a couple of days later and he is sporting a massive lump and more bruising on the same leg below the knee. We think he needs a rest!!

    We did make it to the lovely pub at Minworth called The Boat where we relaxed over a pint or two and chatted to the locals. Thank heaven for the friendly pubs along the way to help lubricate the journey!!!!

    And finally, on Monday we made it off the Birmingham Canal system and back onto the Coventry which we are fairly familiar with, picking up a lovely rural mooring near Polesworth that helped to ease our stress. A short day on Tuesday to moor near Atherstone gave us a day to relax, recover, shop and plan where we would leave Celtic Maid for our upcoming trip to South America. A couple of phone calls later and we knew we were heading up the Ashby canal again to the lovely Bosworth Marina at Market Bosworth.

    And so by Saturday we were securely in the marina and off for a few days to visit our friends Julia and Malcolm in their home near Leicester.

    But all good things come to an end and so we find ourselves back aboard, covering off on the myriad preparations for our holiday, catching up with our family via skype for Christmas, and ensuring that Celtic Maid is able to withstand a few weeks without us.

    Wishing all our family, friends, followers and fearless travellers a very merry Christmas and every success and happiness in 2017. We will be back then to share more of our journeys with you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • That was November 30/11/16

    That was November 30/11/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Perhaps its the shorter days of sunlight that makes the time appear to go faster or maybe just that we are getting older. Whatever the reason, somehow November just sped by.

    We spent the month exploring the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal which runs more or less parallel to the River Severn – the longest river in the UK. Still travelling with NB Sylph, we settled into a relaxed and gentle rhythm of travel with Jim, Chris and Gina, and a much quieter one thanks to our new exhaust which was fitted early in the month. We apologise to anyone who has been within earshot of Celtic Maid over the past 3 years and suffered permanent hearing loss as a result!

    During the times moored near Rea Bridge at Quedgeley, we availed ourselves of the nearby Tesco to keep the larder full. Thanks to Jim’s car, we also travelled a little further afield to a nursery where we had a fine view, while enjoying a coffee, of the Cotswolds on one side and Forest of Dean on the other. Both iconic landmarks. A little retail therapy was also good for the soul.

    This canal, as well as the lower reaches of the River Severn, have very restricted times of operation for the locks and swing or lift bridges at this time of year. So we have not been able to travel anywhere on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This contributed to some careful planning of how to navigate the canal and make sure we were back near Gloucester by the 24th of November to enable us to do a side trip. But our friend Chris worked it all out and we enjoyed 12 days of cruising all the way to Sharpness and back with lots of stops to look around and visit a couple of pubs along the way.

    One of our favourite moorings was at Church End, at the lower end of Frampton on Severn. This is a charming linear village which boasts the longest village green in England – a half mile long. It also has two very nice pubs – The Three Horseshoes at Church End and the Bell Inn near the Frethearne Bridge end. Conveniently there is a bridge at either end and as we were moored near the middle we took a circle route to explore it all. There is also a farm shop selling freshly dug vegetables and useful village shop. Our choice of moorings also gave us an excellent view of the River Severn and its radical tidal movements. We enjoyed this spot so much we stayed again on our way back up the canal.

    We also spent a couple of days at the Sharpness end of the canal and took a very long walk to explore the working dockyards, tidal basin lock which leads onto the tidal Severn River and the small village that adjoins the dock area. Despite a desperate need for refreshments, we were unable to find anywhere open so trudged back to our boats and found solace there!!!

    The River Severn is famous for its Severn Bore. This occurs around the full moon where the incoming tide surges with tides up to 50 feet making it the second highest tidal range in the world. The shape of the river funnels the water into a wave that many keen surfers have ridden the Severn Bore almost to Gloucester – our friends’ son amongst them. Unfortunately, we were at Sharpness when this occurred but we heard from many people as we travelled north again that it was quite spectacular. There are a number of points along the river that make very good viewing points of this phenomena and we visited a couple of them – but only at low tide. Even then the current is formidable and it is easy to see why navigation of this stretch is considered dangerous.

    We called into Purton to explore the Ship Graveyard where several barges, schooners, ketches and concrete lighters have been beached to protect the canal from the erosive power of the river. It is also the where a serious accident occurred in 1960 when two tankers hit the Severn and Wye Railway Bridge in the fog killing five crew and ultimately destroying the bridge. More evidence of the treacherous conditions on the River Severn.

    On the way back to Gloucester we stayed a couple of days at Saul Junction – where the Stroudwater Canal intersects the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. This is no longer navigable but like many old waterways work is being done to restore them where possible. We took the time to walk through the mud to The Ship Inn in nearby Framilode where the Stroudwater canal used to meet the River Severn. We also took advantage of the laundry attached to the CRT facilities, the shop that sold beautiful ice cream and the Marina’s chandlery – Bob and Jim enjoyed a look around and making a few purchases.

    However, the heavens opened up on us as we made our way past the last swing bridge that we had to be through before they closed for two days and by the time we moored up the two captains were soaked through. And then the sky cleared.

    On the 24th November, we made the journey into London and from there to Baldock to visit our friends, Chris and Sue, in their new home. Despite being surrounded by boxes it is clear that they have made a very good move as both the house and village are lovely. It gave us a chance to also celebrate Sue’s birthday, before returning to London on Friday to head to Maldon to celebrate Julie’s birthday. We spent the weekend with Julie and Phil, catching up with her parents, Joy and John, and some of her friends before returning to Celtic Maid on Monday.

    Then we had three short days to catch up with shopping and washing and preparing for our next adventure. Oh, and saying a sad farewell to our travelling companions over the last six months – Chris and Jim on NB Sylph. But more of that later – I’m crying too much now…..[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • October cruising 31/10/16

    October cruising 31/10/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]October has now come to an end, Autumn is in full swing, our clocks have gone back an hour and we’ve covered the most waterways in any blog yet!!!!

    We are now comfortably moored on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal near Rea Bridge, still traveling with NB Sylph and enjoying new waterways. The past month has gone by fast, but with the cooler weather and much shorter days we are now slowing down in anticipation of winter.

    We passed through Kingswood Junction onto the Stratford-on-Avon Canal enjoying the new sights, narrow locks and interesting architecture. The barrel roof cottages beside the locks are just beautiful. First stop was Lowsonford where we enjoyed the hospitality of The Fleur-de-Lys pub. Very pleasant atmosphere and refreshments. It might sound as if we are on a giant pub crawl but we do have to put something into the local economy!!!

    This canal runs through some very rural environments and certainly fills your soul with its peace and tranquility. The small towns are welcoming and historic and great to wander around. St Peter’s Church at Wootten Wawen, our next stop, was well worth the visit with some very interesting history of both the church and its environs on display. There is also a great farm shop,craft centre and retail shops offering all manner of interesting things just a short walk from the canal. A new hat and short wellies have been a very welcome and much-needed addition to the cruising wardrobe!!

    Getting diesel at the marina whilst perched on the aqueduct over the A34 road is an interesting experience, but was really only a practice run for the Edstone Aqueduct which we crossed just over a mile later. Nowhere near as high or long as the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in Wales, this one is still challenging as it crosses over both a road and railway in the valley below.

    Mooring at Wilmcote, we took advantage of the close proximity of Chris and Jim’s car and did a run to Stratford-on-Avon to catch up on some washing. Despite having our twin tub, it is sometimes a bit of a treat getting the washing and drying finished on the one day. Not a cheap exercise though!!!

    After dropping down the 11 Wilmcote locks we moored in Stratford-on-Avon the next day (Saturday) to take advantage of the nearby supermarket and get in much-needed supplies. Unfortunately, the moorings were opposite the Golden Arches and beside a motel so the noise level on a Saturday night was just a tad too high for restful sleep.

    But we headed bravely into Bancroft Basin right in the centre of Stratford-on-Avon on Sunday morning and got onto a great pontoon mooring opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The market was there in the basin and we took the opportunity to have a look around the area, blending in with all the Sunday sightseers.

    We had several interesting and enjoyable experiences whilst in Stratford-on-Avon. First the annual “Mop festival”. All of the high street and surrounds are blocked off and all manner of rides and stalls take over the town. This event has its roots in the era when people of all trades and skills would gather to get hired for the next year, carrying a symbol of their specialty area. So the maids would carry mops, field workers may carry a rake and so on. They also had the opportunity 10 days later to gather again to be rehired if they didn’t like their first placement!. The current festival is more of an opportunity for ride operators to assist members of the public to part with their money thus keeping one sector of the economy working.

    Another, of course, is that this is William Shakespeare’s birthplace and much is made of the cottage in which he was born, where he lived, his mother and wife and so on. This, of course, brings many tourists from around the world and their money so the coffers of this great town are being filled, securing a robust future.

    We also had some health appointments in London resulting in Bob being discharged from one of his eye clinics. And as we returned to the boat from the train station at 11.00pm we waded our way through the detritus of the Mop Festival back to our boat. So we saw a little of the hangover from the festival.

    And we had a short but brilliant visit from Bronwyn and Peter Forward (Bob worked with Peter previously) who were traveling through the UK visiting sites of engineering significance and medical friends of Bronwyn’s from her time here. I don’t think any of us were quiet for the four short hours we had together discussing aged care, health, rail and canal engineering, 4wheel driving, conservation volunteering and anything else that cropped up. A great time was had by all.

    We left the basin on Saturday morning, descending through the lock to the Avon River with a very large entourage of gongoozlers (spectators) observing our every move. We moored adjacent to the last working chain ferry in England, which carried foot passengers across the Avon with the captain turning a wheel which propelled the vessel along the chain connecting both sides of the river. Intriguing.

    On Tuesday we finally started cruising the River Avon, enjoying its width and narrowness, twists and turns, and stunning views of the rural landscape.There are locks on this river which are large enough for both our narrowboats to navigate, but they are accompanied by weirs which must be avoided at all costs. These are well marked and blocked by large buoys but one can imagine the danger in trying to navigate when the water is high and flowing fast. Of course, one should be safely moored up then!

    Another major difference in being on a river is the scarcity of moorings. Unfortunately, these are usually right outside a pub or in the middle of a town necessitating an investment of some type into the local economy. We do our best. Enough said.

    So our first mooring was right by the Fish and Anchor Inn necessitating a visit to pay our respects to the landlord/lady and our dues to the barkeeper. A couple of pints usually hits the spot.

    Our next stop was Evesham, which has a lovely stretch of riverfront flanked by beautifully kept gardens and a reasonable high street not too long a walk away. The town itself is not exciting but our stay was picturesque and uneventful, thankfully. Upon leaving the following morning we finally availed ourselves of the very well hidden water point (in an unmarked wooden box requiring the usual BW key). Following the long U-shape of the river we made our way to lovely moorings at Craycombe Turn – just enough room for 2 narrowboats (once we had chased off the 3 fishermen in their plastic boat). As the weather was calm and mild (we certainly had very mild weather for October), we decided to have our happy hour on the bank. As darkness fell early we made our way back inside but were happy we had been able to have one last sit in the great outdoors this year.

    As we neared the interestingly named village of Wyre Piddle the following day, we noticed a drone hovering overhead. When we moored up by The Anchor Inn, the operators of the drone, Paul Bell and his sons, arrived and shared the video they had taken with us. Very different view of our activities. The Anchor Inn also serves just about the best egg and chips around – rosemary on the chips!

    A short trip to the Georgian town of Pershore for an aborted attempt to use the laundrette – we arrived at 1.00pm on Saturday and they close at noon. So what else to do but meander around the shops and find a good pub for lunch on Sunday. Chris’s school friend, Marion, came with her partner Andrew on Sunday and we had earmarked The Angel Inn for a nice roast lunch. All turned out to be a lovely time for us all – it is so good to meet more of our friend’s friends.

    Another short hop on Monday to Comberton Quay. Again just the space for two boats and a quick walk up the hill to the village to check out the library/book exchange in the phone box! Great idea and I believe there are a few around the country now. We also picked some blackberries (this is the last of the crop) and windfall apples. Chris knocked on our window a little later to deliver stewed apples and blackberries with custard. Just lovely!!

    After availing ourselves of the lovely services at Tewkesbury Marina – they really are a most polite and helpful lot – we headed to the moorings just before the lock. Gina, Chris and Jim’s dog, had recently had surgery and they have had to take a few trips back to Warwick for follow-up care. This mooring was convenient to the town centre and for their car. It also had no signs up in regards to any mooring fees payable. All went well until we were in the lock on Friday morning to drop down onto the River Severn and the lockkeeper “requested” the required fee of £3 per night. Despite our protestations we were captive in the lock until payment was made so we finally succumbed.

    The River Severn is different again. It may have been the weather but it has an almost sinister feel. There is clearly a current and a few days earlier there had been a spring tide. This part of the river is not tidal except on these high tides coinciding with full moons. Evidence of it could be seen along the edges where the river level appeared to have recently dropped and much more obviously when we moored up at Ashleworth Boat Inn. The deck was completely covered by about an inch of clay which was slowly drying but still very sticky and slippery. After carefully mooring together, the publican came down to apologise for the mud which they usually leave to dry and then sweep off. He then produced a rope tied at the top of the bank to assist us in making the slippery steep climb up to the pub. After a light lunch and liquid refreshments, Bob borrowed a shovel and cleared a path to the mooring and along the deck while the rest of us set off to explore the huge Tithe Barn, cemetery and very old buildings in the small village behind the pub. We returned to find Bob chatting to other patrons and lubricating his throat. On the upside, they served 18 different types of cider on tap – Chris and I thought we were in heaven!

    We made an early start the next morning to get through the Gloucester Lock and up into the docks in readiness for our journey along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. It is a little treacherous getting into this lock unless you call the lockkeeper beforehand so that he can prepare and open it for your arrival. Otherwise, it is a bit of hit and miss trying to secure to chains along a very high wall. We got through easily and were moored up in the beautifully restored docks by 10.00am – quite an achievement.

    We availed ourselves to a little shopping here before heading off on Monday to moor near Chris and Jim at Rea Bridge, stopping along the way to make arrangements for our Celtic Maid to be fitted with a hospital exhaust by the end of this week. Apparently, we won’t know ourselves with how quiet she will be.

    Safely moored on a quiet stretch we settled to catch up on a few jobs, get in supplies and enjoy the rest for a few days.

    And on rolls November………

     

    [/vc_column_text][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Was that September! 4/10/16

    Was that September! 4/10/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]What a busy and thoroughly enjoyable month September was. Only now as we rest for a couple of days at the top of the Hatton Lock Flight on the Grand Union Canal, can we stop for a short time to catch our breath and reflect on the month that was.

    After our first visitors (Julie and Phil) left us and we relocated to Thrupp, we prepared for Bob to have his third, and we hope final, surgery on his eye. This time to remove the suture from inside his shunt to keep the eye pressure at a good level. The good news, of course, was that this coincided with a catch up with Mick, Kendra and Rose from the USA visiting Sue and Chris in London. So we travelled on Thursday to Edgware and caught up on all the news before heading off to Northwick Park Hospital early Friday morning. Everything was going well until the theatre experienced a power failure! Not a huge issue but without a UPS available all surgery was cancelled eventually. However, given that Bob’s was minor and he is a brave soul, they performed it in the consulting room very successfully. The eye pressure immediately dropped and stabilised within an hour to a good, controlled level. Can’t thank the staff enough for the calm and measured way they handled everyone and rescheduled appointments, ensuring minimal distress to all.

    Chris and Sue had kindly dropped us off and picked us up again so we returned to their home and awaited the USA gang to come for dinner. Another great night was had by all and we planned a trip to visit Liz at Buckingham Palace on Saturday. Despite the rain, it was a very enjoyable day with one minor mishap – I misplaced my Oyster Card just as we were getting onto the Underground for our trip home! So I bought a new one and once they calmed me down I found it – right in the place I had stored it!!! Not sure what happened there but I am still apologising to the general public for the frustrated display and language they all had to endure!!!!

    After a restful day on Sunday (Mick, Kendra and Rose headed off to Scotland while the rest of us chilled out) we returned to the hospital on Monday for a check up (all very positive) before returning back to Oxford where we were met at the station by Max and Jenny who had come to visit for a couple of days. Once the supplies were in we quickly settled into the routine for the next couple of days – eating, drinking, chatting, relaxing and a little cruising up to Lower Heyford. The weather Gods were with us and we enjoyed a spectacular evening BBQ outside followed by a fireside chat. So sad to see them leave on Wednesday after a flying visit but we hope the next one can be for a little longer.

    Jim and Chris on NB Sylph had gone on ahead of us to get some work done so we set off on Thursday to meet up with them by the following Monday in Banbury. There being no rush, we enjoyed the beautiful rural scenery of the Oxford canal as we slowly made progress. And it gave us a chance to get Celtic Maid shipshape for the impending visit by Bob’s sister, Judy, and her husband Ted from Canada on Tuesday.

    Banbury is a large centre and we took advantage of the availability of shopping to get a few things to make our life more comfortable. But of major importance was the purchase of three new blinds from Dunelm for the galley and lounge area and, after much research (and at Max’s suggestion) a kit drawer unit for the kitchen from Wickes. These purchases were made only after Judy assured us that Ted wanted to be very busy whilst aboard. And he sure was…..

    They arrived Tuesday afternoon having made excellent time from the airport via coach and train. Ted smiled as we broke the news to him of both the 45 locks over 35 miles that we were going to cover, and his construction duties. But we had carefully staged progress with a visit to a pub every day in the afternoon to sample the English ales so bribery won him over.

    Once we had all our purchases aboard (and ample supplies of refreshments!!), we set off on Wednesday for Cropredy where we not only met up briefly with Julia and Malcolm on NB Figment but also the Hoskins crew (Mick and Kendra and Rose and Chris and Sue) who met us at the Brasenose Arms for dinner. If the other diners at this pub were hopeful of a quiet dinner we certainly didn’t let them. A fantastic night was had by all and we were sad to bid them a very fond farewell – until next time.

    Our next stop was Fenny Compton. Somehow Figment and Sylph had taken off much earlier than us and had managed to have lunchtime drinks in the Wharf Inn before we arrived. How rude!! But after arranging to have dinner aboard Figment that night, we headed off for a swift pint or two. (Meanwhile, progress had been made on installation of the blinds).

    The hospitality aboard Figment was great as always and after much fun and laughter, and too much food we settled for a good night’s sleep and a shorter trip to a lovely rural mooring the next day. The view from here was brilliant and Sylph finally caught up with us after Jim and Bob and gone back to Banbury with Kim (Jim and Chris’s daughter who had been staying with them for a couple of days) to move Jim’s car and order a piece of glass for our window which had mysteriously leapt to its demise in the canal the day before!!! No names will be mentioned. We had enjoyed a lovely happy hour with Figment by the time they arrived and since it was getting dark we all retired to our respective boats.

    We said goodbye to Julia and Malcolm on Saturday and headed for the Napton lock flight. Judy, Chris and I decided to walk the four miles picking blackberries along the way. By the time we started to descend the flight the wind had picked up and it became tricky work. But we got there and found moorings quickly so that we could sample the delights of The Folly Inn.  And yes, you have all guessed correctly – this has been a carefully planned pub crawl!!! (By now the blinds were up and we were well into the construction phase of the drawer unit!!)

    Sunday saw us turn off of the Oxford canal at the Napton Junction onto the Grand Union again, heading for Leamington Spa by Monday to bid farewell to our guests on the train on Tuesday. But not before we stopped another night and they all went down to The Two Boats Inn atLong Itchington, to see if the standard of pubs was up to scratch. Apparently, it was. And before we knew it we were moored in Leamington Spa, the miles and locks were covered, the blinds and drawers were done and beautiful and it was time to say goodbye. But I have it on good authority that Ted has instituted regular happy hours into his daily routine and is busily planning both his retirement (at last) and an extended visit next year. We promise – no more building work!!

    And so, back just with Jim and Chris on Sylph, we made our way through Warwick, shopping (again) and then conquered the 21 lock Hatton flight. We finally arrived at a mooring very near Hatton and have had a couple of days catching up on general maintenance, blog and sleep. If that was September, what will October bring???

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Hello again Oxford Canal 7/9/16

    Hello again Oxford Canal 7/9/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As the summer has drawn to a close and autumn/fall is now upon us, we have finally bid farewell to the Thames and are now back on the Oxford Canal. Currently moored near Thrupp, we are preparing for yet another absence from Celtic Maid whilst we visit London for Bob’s minor eye surgery and to catch up with our Hoskins family/friends as Mick and Kendra are currently visiting from the USA.

    Once Bob returned from his pre-op assessment in London two weeks ago, and while Jim was moving his car, Sylph and Celtic Maid set off up the Oxford canal seeking a water point and refuse removal facilities. That turned out to be the easy part. We then had contact by phone with Jim and discovered that there were no decent moorings for the remainder of the canal up to the junction with the Duke’s Cut and back on the Thames. So despite being stuck, and getting off, and travelling through some of the ugliest canal sections we have yet endured, we finally got to the junction, navigated the lock and went back onto the Thames looking for a mooring. It was almost dark before we ended up at the visitor moorings at King’s Lock. Happy hour was definitely abandoned as we all retreated to an overdue dinner, drink and bed. Way too late at 9.00pm to be mooring but we hadn’t started until about 4.30pm!!!!

    We all decided to go through the lock in the morning and seek moorings close to the Trout Inn at Wolvercote, where my birthday lunch had been celebrated. Originally Bob and I had planned to go back down the Thames to get back on the Oxford Canal, finding a mooring where we could leave Celtic Maid while we went to visit Julie and Phil. But after the previous day’s fiasco, we bit the bullet and bought another week’s licence for the Thames and happily moored up.

    On Friday morning Jim drove us the Oxford rail station and we made our way to Maldon to visit with Julie and Phil for the weekend to celebrate Phil’s 80th birthday. After a busy day on Friday we left Saturday morning at a reasonable time to travel up to their boat at Horning on the Norfolk Broads and luckily were not delayed at any stage by the Bank Holiday weekend traffic. Once there we unloaded and set off immediately to enjoy Bob’s belated birthday treat of a ride from Wroxham to Aylsham on the Bure Valley Railway steam train. We were all like big kids as we whistled with the whistle and screeched through the tunnel and waved furiously at all the tourists along the way. Highly recommended trip for anyone but particularly those with a passion for steam!!!!

    Afternoon tea at the Old Mill Restaurant, a bit of shopping at the biggest institution in Wroxham – Roy’s – and we were back at the boat for a very quick catch up with Joy and John – Julie’s parents and Bob’s cousin. Dinner that night at The Wherryman restaurant and a good night’s sleep aboard TicketyBoo, and we were ready to celebrate Phil’s big birthday. Almost 80 family and friends joined Phil and Julie aboard the paddle steamer Southern Comfort for a three hour cruise along the Broad’s waterways. Music, drinks and a lovely afternoon tea complemented the excellent company and the fantastic weather. But of course we had to save ourselves to share dinner at The Brick Kilns  – wow what a day of eating and drinking and celebrating!!!!

    On Monday we had a recovery day taking a drive to the Norfolk coast with Julie’s friend, Sharon, to visit Colin –  another friend of Julie and Phil. The view from his kitchen of the North Sea is brilliant, as is his amazing and very colourful garden. All too soon it was time to make the journey back to Maldon, as on Tuesday they were driving us back to Celtic Maid near Wolvercote where they would be joining us for a couple of days. On this journey, we did strike some heavy traffic but got through it and after getting in some supplies we made the most of their time with us by travelling through some very pretty rural Thames down to Eynsham lock and back. All too soon they had left us making the return journey to Maldon in half the time it took to get here!!

    To make full use of our extended license we decided to head back toward Eynsham and picked up a lovely mooring where we stayed for three days. Jim and Chris came past in Sylph on the first afternoon but decided to leave us to our relaxation and head to Thrupp. We read, watched DVDs and slept lots making up for the very busy time behind us and preparing for the busyness ahead.

    Sunday dawned and we had to get off the Thames, so bidding it a final fond farewell we got onto the Oxford canal and made slow but steady progress up to the Jolly Boatman pub  in Thrupp, where we found a good mooring and met up again with Jim and Chris. Along the way we met Paul and Ruth Gerber from Zurich, Switzerland who were having their second narrowboat holiday in England and loving it. Over a coffee in the pub he told us all about his work as a watchmaker. Absolutely stunning work and you can see examples of it here.

    On Monday we moved up the canal a short distance, availing ourselves of the services (probably the best kept and prettiest on the canal system!), and moored up in preparation for leaving tomorrow for London. Jim and Chris have gone to Devon for a couple of days and will return earlier than we do so we will catch up with them again further along the canal. Bob and I took a walk yesterday to the nearby deserted village of Hampton Gay where the ruins of the manor house and other buildings are overlooked by a nearby church and still used graveyard. Apparently the manor house was ruined in a fire late in the 19th Century but the remaining structure is now being considered for a renovation!!!

    So today it is a series of catch up jobs in preparation for our next weekend away and hosting friends for a few days upon our return.

    There is never a dull moment aboard NB Celtic Maid!![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Thames farewell approaching 24/8/16

    Thames farewell approaching 24/8/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Time passes, The river flows. We move on.

    Over the past three weeks, we have covered familiar territory, although, at times, not recognizable after the passage of over two years. We were very green back then and having our first major crisis with the boat – we killed the gearbox!!!! This time, there were no mechanical problems in the stretch between Reading and Oxford.However there is a severe shortage of services – we did some very long (for us) days seeking water taps and pump out facilities. This has become our biggest grump on the Thames. The scenery is beautiful, lock keepers helpful, towns and villages welcoming. And although the moorings are sometimes in short supply or expensive, it is the scarcity of boaters facilities (water, pumpout/Elsan disposal, rubbish) that hinders enjoyment most.

    Anyway, we have made it to Oxford in plenty of time for some of our crew to attend their hospital appointments and to celebrate Bron’s birthday at The Trout Inn. It comes highly recommended and the almost 3 mile walk each way from our moorings was no drawback as the food, drinks, environment and service were fantastic.

    We started back in Reading, leaving our moorings and returning to the Thames reasonably early on 5th August after posting off my visa extension application. After getting additional provisions at the handy Tesco, and topping up water etc we headed to Mapledurham. It’s really not that far out of Reading but we found reasonable moorings (breasted up again) by a field that was inhabited by a gazillion Canada geese. Gina enjoyed it a little more than the geese!

    We stayed a day longer than expected due to very high winds – pushing us onto the bank so that even by Monday morning when we left Jim and Chris had trouble getting off.

    Luckily it was only a very short stretch to Pangbourne and we had timed it beautifully to secure moorings just as other boats were leaving. This gave us a good chance to explore Pangbourne and neighbouring Whitchurch-on-Thames and top up with supplies. I even managed to get a much-needed haircut!!! And we had the pleasure of Jim and Chris’s daughter Kim, and her husband Lawrence, joining us for an afternoon. They were on their way to the airport for a holiday and left their lovely black labrador, Bella, with us as company for Gina.

    We passed some lovely moorings along the way, briefly stopping for a look in Goring, before we rested for a night above Cleeve Lock. On Friday we were in search yet again of good moorings but we ended up travelling quite a distance to find a great little spot above Day’s Lock. Just a short walk through the fields to the village of Dorchester, once a Roman Town. Fantastic allotments provide an excess of produce for us to buy. Stunning little pubs with gardens to sit, drink and relax in. A very interesting old church with cake and coffee for afternoon tea. And a great run for Gina and Bella. Bella also got to collect lots of sticks so we could have a little fire one night!! What a clever little asset she is!!

    And then on Monday 15th we arrived in one of our favourite towns in England, Abingdon. A town which welcomes narrowboaters (all boaters really), has plenty of services, all the shops you need, great pubs and a lovely farmers market on Fridays. Jim and Bob even managed haircuts at “old dribblers” rates! And we got brilliant weather for sitting out on the very wide towpath sharing food and drinks with loads of space for the dogs to run in. Bunion and Bungi even got off the boat for a while although I doubt anyone saw them!

    So, after visiting the market in the rain, filling with diesel in the rain, getting through the lock and using the services above it as the rain ended, we made our way to a spot just above Iffley Lock in time for the sun to come out and bless us – briefly. We had moored here a few times two years ago and found it to be quiet albeit with lots of foot traffic along the towpath and quite a few rowers.

    We had decided to take off at a reasonable time on Saturday morning to secure moorings in Oxford above Osney Lock. We were anticipating having to deal with a few rowing boats but at no time were we warned of a regatta being in full swing! It may have been useful for the marshalls to alert boats travelling upstream of the event prior to us turning a corner and being gunwales deep in boats at the finish line. And trying to understand the commands of moving our boat from the starboard side of the river (as is the norm) to the port side in a narrow channel they had marked out stopping right on their finish line. After being blown across to the right we eventually took advantage of the end of a race and favourable cessation of the breeze to navigate into their marked channel to complete the rest of their race track without incident.

    It was therefore a pleasure to find plentiful moorings at our preferred spot in plenty of time to wander into Oxford for a bit of a look around. Sunday was the aforementioned hike to the Trout Inn for my birthday lunch (after I had enjoyed the many well wishes from both Australia and other parts of the world – thank you). A quick stop off at The Perch for refreshments to ensure we did not dehydrate on the final leg home and we made it back to our boats before the rain set in again.

    With Bob off to London for his eye appointment Monday, we moved the boats with just the three crew and moored on the Oxford canal. With Jim off to Exeter on Tuesday, Bob and I enjoyed a wander around Oxford in the bright warm sunshine and planned our next couple of weeks. We also got my biometrics logged at the Post Office – visa success is one step closer! Bob has to have minor eye surgery on 9 September so has returned to the hospital today for a pre-op assessment. We are off to Julie and Phil’s this weekend to celebrate his 80th (happy birthday Phil) and they will return with us for a few days next week. September is shaping up to be very busy with lots of visitors, friends and family. And it also brings Autumn, the end of our Thames Summer and the need to make plans for our next few months.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Our Thames Summer 4/8/16

    Our Thames Summer 4/8/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whilst its been a long time between posts (again) our time has been full, but relaxed. Joyous, and sad. Spontaneous, and planned.

    On Sunday 31st July 2016, Bron received the sad news that her mother, who had been suffering dementia for several years, had passed to join her dad and they are now resting in peace together. To lose both parents in just a few short weeks takes a bit of adjusting and a lot of acceptance. But there is joy, that her horrible battle is over, and a strong belief that they are now together in a better place. And a strong reaffirmation that this life we are given is precious, and it is our duty to live it fully and voraciously. As we are endeavouring to do.

    We are still fortunate in having Jim and Chris (and Gina of course)  on NB Sylph as our travelling companions during this time. Their companionship, compassion, crafty happy hours, brilliant humour and wonderful wisdom have certainly been valued and appreciated. The journey we are on is very special.

    So we have relaxed into a flowing approach along the beautiful Thames – even though we are travelling upstream we are very much going with the flow of life!

    The Thames is a journey of great beauty – the birdlife, plantlife, evidence of human life. A vast array of amazing boats and stunning homes, owned and operated by the rich and (in)famous, are everywhere. A very small selection of examples is included in the gallery. And the strong history associated with the area – the signing of the Magna Carta 800 years ago, Windsor Castle, old churches used in the filming of television crime mysteries (at Hambledon – Midsummer Murders), hotels that hosted sordid sex scandals, and old pubs that are just beautiful to see and lovely to drink in.

    And we have cruised through, or stopped a while, at lots of towns along the way. From Weybridge (see our last post) we backtracked slightly to moor up for three days on the Shepperton side of Desborough Island on a beautiful lawned area close to town and the obligatory pubs – previously frequented by film stars as they plied their trade at the local Shepperton Studios. This gave us an opportunity to sit out in the sunshine – once some painting chores on Celtic Maid had been completed.

    Marion and John – previous narrowboaters – joined Chris and Jim as we went from Weybridge to Staines. It was brilliant to catch up with them again and enjoy a picnic lunch along the way. We took the opportunity whilst moored outside a couple of pubs, to do some shopping in the bigger stores in Staines as well as the market place. We like to spread our money around!

    We moved onto moor outside The Bells of Ouzeley – the rendezvous point with our friends Chris and Sue who were taking a break in their hectic lives to join us for a few days on the idyllic river. This is very near Runnymede where the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, laying down the foundations of modern democracy. We took a walk to the nearby Kennedy Memorial, Magna Carta Memorial, and The art installation by Hew Lock called The Jurors. The latter is well worth a look at the link provided.

    Once we had our visitors aboard we travelled up the Thames, getting an excellent river view of Windsor Castle and grounds along the way, to moor up on the Eton side of the river. On Wednesday 13th July, Chris and Sue joined us for a tour of the castle which was amazing. The State Apartments, Queen Mary’s Doll’s House, St George’s Chapel, Changing the Guard ceremony and the grounds and buildings themselves were a real eye opener. It was also good to see how well the restoration following the massive fire in 1992 has been undertaken to maintain the authenticity of the buildings, parts of which date back 1000 years. All too soon the visit was over and we had to head back to deliver our guests back to the car. but we hadn’t finished with royalty yet! Just as we were about to enter Old Windsor Lock to descend Bob was alerted that the Queen’s Barge was waiting to go up. This was a rare occasion on the Thames when the lock didn’t have a lock keeper in attendance so the lock was on “self-service”. Bob had gone to operate it as we had sufficient crew aboard to hold the fore and aft ropes as required. So he slipped easily back into his old lockman days and carefully let the gold and crimson barge through. We saw it again a few days later  as it made its return journey from an event at Henley-on-Thames.

    Chris and Sue left us the following morning and we headed back up towards Windsor to catch up with NB Sylph near the Queen’s Eyot, close to Maidenhead. As far as our books and guides tell us this area – Bray and Maidenhead – has been home to some famous and infamous people and the site of much debauchery – we will leave it to you to look up the details. We passed through quickly….

    Although we did moor up just before Cliveden Court – now a hotel but previously notoriously linked to the Profumo Affair which brought about the downfall of the Harold MacMillan government in 1964. the banks near here are very beautiful full of trees and birdlife. On our walk, we discovered an island that had just enough room for us to moor up so we moved there early the next morning and spent a very relaxing weekend. Bob and Chris took a swim, lots of washing was done and hung up on the makeshift clothesline and we enjoyed sitting around a campfire sharing a drink or two. After much discussion, we decided that this would be called Timeless Island  because for a little while as we stayed there, time stood still for us all.

    On Monday we moved onto Cookham where we found excellent moorings for a week – enabling Chris and Jim to attend their daughter’s graduation and us to celebrate 11 years of wedded bliss!!!! The only low point of this sojourn was attending the Bounty Pub at nearby Bourne End to see a performance by Mikron Theatre. Unfortunately, the whole affair was not organised – long queues for food and drink, performance sited so that audience looked into the setting sun, seating poorly arranged, noisy patrons making it impossible to hear the performance if you could see through the queues, and disgusting toilets. Not a good review I know but we were sorely disappointed. We will try to catch up with the theatre, which tours the waterways via a narrowboat, sometime in the future.

    We also had the opportunity to visit our friends, Chris and Sue, travelling via High Wycombe and Amersham by bus and Underground. The visit had a dual purpose – to catch up with Chris’s sister Jan and her family visiting from Seattle, and for Bob to attend a medical appointment. Very successful visit all round!!!

    The following Monday (25th August) we moved on via Marlow, taking the time to visit the shopping in the town, and spent a couple of nights by a field not far from another notorious town, Medmenham (home of the Hell Fire Club in the 18th Century). Russell Brand is a current tenant of a lovely cottage between here and Henley-on-Thames and whilst Jim was out one day walking Gina, he came upon Russell and his dog, Bear. They passed pleasantries, whilst the dogs engaged in more robust socialising, before moving on their separate ways. This really is the place of the rich and (in)famous!!! And Bob opened the side hatch one morning to witness a kingfisher flying from the roof of our boat to the other side of the river. A rare sighting indeed.

    We also spent a night near Hambledon which has been a village used extensively in the filming of the long-running series of Midsummer Murders. We took an afternoon to walk the couple of miles to the village, get supplies at the local shop/post office, have a sneaky half pint at the Stag and Huntsman, and avoid being the next murder target!!

    Much of the River Thames is home to the many rowing clubs who use the long reaches for training and pleasure. We went through one of the most famous of these, Henley-on-Thames, stopping briefly to tour the town and enjoy a quick drink in the Angel on the Bridge pub, before moving on to another secluded island mooring. Soon after we arrived, a rented pleasure boat got marooned on a sunken boat across the river from us. We were unable to be of much assistance but they finally got off with advice via mobile from their hire company.

    Sonning was our next port of call. No, we weren’t visiting George and Amal Clooney, but the pub where Chris and Jim spent their honeymoon – now called The Great House Hotel. Not much that was familiar to reminisce about but the service and the lunch was excellent.

    And so to Reading, where we have left the Thames briefly to stock up and attend appointments. And of course to let the world know what we have been doing.

     

    This post is dedicated to Bron’s Mum, Ida Langford (nee Peters) 1932 -2016.

    There is great relief that your battle is over, comfort that you have rejoined Dad and great purpose to my travels as I experience this wonderful country for us both.

    Rest easy, my beautiful and much loved mother.

     

    IMG_0179

    [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xOCUyMTFtMTIlMjExbTMlMjExZDM5NzgxLjc5NjE0ODAxNzQzJTIxMmQtMS4wMzEwNjY5NzU1MjE2NDQ0JTIxM2Q1MS40NTE1MDQ5NzI0NTMwMTYlMjEybTMlMjExZjAlMjEyZjAlMjEzZjAlMjEzbTIlMjExaTEwMjQlMjEyaTc2OCUyMTRmMTMuMSUyMTNtMyUyMTFtMiUyMTFzMHg0ODc0MjA3OGQ5M2QzZGI3JTI1M0EweDJhZTE5ZjdmY2VmYTc5OTQlMjEyc1JlYWRpbmclMjE1ZTAlMjEzbTIlMjExc2VuJTIxMnN1ayUyMTR2MTQ3MDMxMDc0ODg5OCUyMiUyMHdpZHRoJTNEJTIyNjAwJTIyJTIwaGVpZ2h0JTNEJTIyNDUwJTIyJTIwZnJhbWVib3JkZXIlM0QlMjIwJTIyJTIwc3R5bGUlM0QlMjJib3JkZXIlM0EwJTIyJTIwYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuJTNFJTNDJTJGaWZyYW1lJTNF”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Paddington to Thames 2/7/16

    Paddington to Thames 2/7/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The last three weeks has brought us great joy and immense sorrow.

    This post has been delayed because of living our adventures and life fully and the need to grieve for the loss of Bron’s father from afar. Sometimes, although it is hard, we need to accept that we can’t be everywhere and while we are here in England living our dream, our family have been dealing with a great loss first hand and working hard to ensure we have been included and cared for. Much love and thanks go particularly to Bron’s three children – Corey, Tarik, and Thaao – for their care, love and support during this time and always.

    But there have been some very happy moments along the way.

    It started with a surprise visit on Friday three weeks ago, from Bob’s sister and her husband from near Toronto, Canada – Judy and Ted. We were so excited to see them and to share our London experience with them – albeit briefly. We took in a long stroll down Portobello Road for its Saturday market, a cruise into Paddington Basin (where we moored for a week right next to the Paddington Railway Station), a fleeting visit from Mija and Jonathon, a visit to the eye specialist while Judy and Ted went shopping on Oxford Street, a night at the theatre seeing the musical Beautiful (the Carole King story and worth every moment), and a sad farewell at the station on Tuesday. We don’t think they wanted to leave because the first train they took was going the wrong way. But they will be back in September again to have another taste of life aboard Celtic Maid.

    After a couple of days catching up on domestic tasks, Bron shopping on Oxford Street with Chris, and Bob visiting museums with Jim, the four of us made the pilgrimage to Greenwich – home of the Cutty Sark and Greenwich Mean Time. We had a great cruise down the river on a riverbus (Bob and Jim both took turns at the wheel – before we set off!!) and spent the day exploring all that this historic site has to offer. Well worth the visit for the views alone but the cost of admission to some of the features is prohibitive. We still enjoyed the day although returned to our moorings by bus a lot later than expected.

    All of a sudden it was the weekend again and the much awaited arrival of Australian friends – Monica and Jo and her sister Morag and husband Trevor – who are on an extended tour of places of origin in Italy, Switzerland and UK with stopovers in Monaco and France. Whilst in Australia earlier in the year we were privileged to be a part of their planning for this trip and despite a few hiccups along the way we were delighted that we could welcome them aboard Celtic Maid. Fortunately, we were able to make room for them all because Chris and Jim let us sleep aboard Sylph for three nights – excellent hospitality!!

    We caught a bus (eventually) to Portobello Road so that they could also experience this iconic market. Both Jo and Monica snared a new jacket from here setting themselves up for their trip to Scotland.  We reluctantly left Paddington Basin on Sunday as our allowed one week was up and we moved back near to our previous moorings in Westbourne Park.  A quick stop off for water along the way and we moored in time for Monica and Morag to meet their cousin in a nearby pub. This was the first time they had ever met as both arms of their family had migrated – one to Australia and the other to South Africa. This has been a very emotional trip for our friends – but one of fulfilling dreams of a lifetime.

    Our guests went off for a day of touring London while we attended to some health issues but we reconvened in the evening for a yummy Indian takeaway and the DVD, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Bron and Monica exited for a walk through Meanwhile Gardens and a long chat on the deck. Too soon their time with us was over and we farewelled them for their Scotland leg.

    On Wednesday Jim left for some surgery in Devon, Bob took care of numerous domestic duties, and Bron and Chris experienced a cruise up the Thames to Brentford and an afternoon wandering through the beautiful Kew gardens. This was a much needed and very peaceful interlude until we made the poor decision to catch the underground back to the boats in peak hour! Sardining is the verb used to describe this awful phenomenon. But even the buses would have been packed at this time.

    On Thursday we were back for yet another eye appointment and made the decision to set off on Friday morning back towards Bull’s Bridge Junction and picking up Jim returning from Devon along the way. We finally made it and did a shop at Tesco’s there deciding to pick up some Indian food for a shared meal aboard Sylph. it was delicious but a lot of messing around – we have decided to do Indian takeaway in future.

    Our last leg to Brentford, in anticipation of moving out onto the Thames at 6.00 am on Sunday with the incoming tide, was uneventful save for large amounts of debris floating in the water. This is always disappointing to see – so many bottles and cans and balls and shopping bags – inevitable that some ends up around the propellor necessitating a visit to the weed hatch to clear it all. Not only does it slow you down but puts additional strain on the drive train and uses much more diesel. And of course looks, and often smells, appalling.

    Mija and Jonathon joined Sylph on Saturday night to assist them with the passage from Brentford to Teddington – along a tidal section of the Thames. We were all up and ready and a little bit excited on Sunday morning awaiting the sign from the Lock keeper that we could move into the lock. The trip itself was smooth and easy with some lovely scenery along the way. Once through the lock at Teddington we moored and immersed ourselves in a lovely cooked breakfast followed by Prosecco and then a cream tea (for the non English – tea with scones, jam and clotted cream) washed down by more Prosecco. And suddenly it was 4pm and Mija and Jonathon had to leave us but it was a brilliant day and we were now on the Thames – again.

    There were two more visits to the eye specialists this week but the final news is that we are now being seen by three clinics but the inflammation and pressure are currently stable. We have been given a break of about five weeks before the next appointment so we are reveling in this comparative freedom.

    On Tuesday we made our way to moor right in front of the golden gates of Hampton Court Palace and spent all day on Thursday exploring both the gardens and palace itself. A wonderful piece of history very well cared for and worth a visit to understand more about the various reigns and periods of the last 500 years. But we were absolutely exhausted by Thursday night and needed an early night.

    Friday dawned sunny and bright but was soon overtaken by cloud and rain interspersed with sunny periods – a typical English summer’s day! You will note that this has been my first reference to the weather – I did try not to mention it. Despite this, we persisted and finally picked up moorings at Weybridge right at the junction of the Thames and Wey rivers with a weir directly opposite. This reminds us of the constant sound we had while living at Lock 5 on the River Murray at Paringa, and we both slept soundly last night as the gentle roar of the weir acted as a lullaby.

    So we will rest here for a couple of days and catch up a little. As the sun shines through the window we are thankful for the wonderful life we are blessed to lead.

    This post is dedicated to my Dad (9/2/32 – 16/6/16) who wanted us all to dream big and live fully.

    Rest easy knowing you are loved.

    Dad is 88[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Almost to Paddington 9/6/16

    Almost to Paddington 9/6/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The weather is a common topic of conversation/complaint amongst the British and after a couple of years here we can see why. It is so totally unpredictable, other than on any given day you are likely to get almost anything. So we are intermittently rugged up, stripped off, sweltering under wet weather gear or cursing the wind. But it keeps life interesting….

    After a couple of wet and rather miserable days, a lovely catch up with Jim and Chris’s daughter, Kim (Bron’s new adopted daughter – Kim wants an Australian passport!!), and disappointing service at The Globe Inn, we started moving in earnest last Friday 3rd June in a bid to reach Croxley before our need to catch the Underground to Northwick Park Hospital for Bob’s eye appointment on Monday. This was a trip of some 29 miles and 53 locks which we somehow managed to achieve in just 4 days – quite a success story. And we had to stop for supply shopping, diesel and water fill-ups, and refuse removal. We were very fortunate in finding pretty good moorings along the way and even had a great catch up with Jim and Chris’s friend Gilbert along the way. We were stopped a couple of times while C&RT staff refilled the low water in the pounds between locks (it seems some people either accidently or deliberately leave paddles or gates open overnight causing havoc for both moored boaters and those needing to use the locks), or cleaned the lock gates (not sure why this occurs during peak travelling times). But we made it, through some beautiful countryside, and found a spot in the sun at Croxley in time to share dinner aboard NB Sylph Sunday night.

    We returned to NB Celtic Maid in good time and good spirits on Monday afternoon, following a rather successful appointment, and set off to catch up with NB Sylph who were car shuffling, shopping and laundering in nearby Rickmansworth.  We moored alongside them watched over by a boater who seemed a bit worried about our actions. We happened to be under a tree that several parrots had made their home, and both our boats became parrot toilets and rubbish bins overnight!!!! Thankfully good rains a couple of days later cleaned up most of the mess.

    Tuesday’s goal was Cowley Lock and an eagerly anticipated dinner at The Malt Shovel with Jane and Michael, our friends from NB Moody Blues. Just as we reached the lock under a downpour and thunderstorm, Michael wandered along and  gave us a hand to moor in front of Moody Blues. They had just been through London both ways and we were keen to hear from them about their experiences on the Rivers Lee and Stort, which we hope to cruise sometime soon. Dinner, wine and company were all brilliant and we were laughing so hard at our (mis)adventures that we were crying. We managed to get back to our boats just before another rather loud and bright thunder/lightning/rain storm hit us. Cleaned Celtic Maid up a treat and sounded awesome!

    We said our farewells to NB Moody Blues on Wednesday morning and made our way to Kensal Green – a trek of some 15 miles without locks. A stop for water and yet more shopping at Bull’s Bridge delayed us a little but we still wouldn’t have arrived without being hit by yet another rain deluge followed by bright sunshine once moored. What wasI saying about the weather.

    Today, with Jim off to Devon for his medical appointment, Chris on NB Sylph led us to our current moorings at Westbourne Green – very close to Little Venice and the Paddington Basin that we hope to call home for a week very soon. But for now we are getting very excited to welcome guests aboard for the weekend Bob’s sister Judy and husband Ted from Canada!!!!  We can’t wait and hope we get a little sunshine for them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_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”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Towards London 30/5/16

    Towards London 30/5/16

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]With the decision made to head towards London we prepared ourselves to tackle going up the Northampton flight of 17 locks. But not before an early morning wake up with Jim letting us know they were off to the hospital to get Chris’s hand checked out. She had attempted to save a cat from the river in the wee small hours,and it both bitten and scratched her.  Happy to report the health system treated her promptly and the hand is now on the mend.

    Our progress up the lock was hampered by both said injury and a fellow solo traveller who was making very slow but necessary progress up the flight to have his alternator repaired. After a few delays we negotiated to go ahead, preparing each lock for him before we moved on to assist him to keep moving. We finally made it to the top, availed ourselves of the service point facilities and moved onto the main line of the Grand Union Canal.

    We all lamented our postponement of exploring the waterways to Cambridge but also all agree that it was the right decision.

    After a leisurely cruise through the Blisworth tunnel, stop off to check out the beautiful works at Ark Stained Glass, and a meander down the 7 Stoke Bruerne locks we picked up beautiful moorings just outside Yardley Gobion on Saturday night. The sheep, geese and ducks were certainly enjoying the lush green grasses to be found in the fields on both sides of the canal.

    On Sunday we set our sights for Wolverton, needing a mooring to catch the train to London on Monday for another eye check up.  We only found space for one, so Chris and Jim kept moving and we arranged to catch them up once we returned on Monday afternoon. Fortunately, the news about the eye was positive, so we returned in good spirits on Monday and quickly covered the 2 miles (well quickly for a Narrowboat!) to catch up to NB Sylph.

    We made the decision to move on Tuesday to Campbell Park which has very good visitor moorings next to a large park giving lots of room for Gina and Bunion to have a good run. Didn’t hurt the rest of us to take a few walks and investigate all that the park has to offer, either. The cricket pitch alone made us want to take up the sport.

    The city of Milton Keynes is not necessarily a place you would put on your travel bucket list. But there are a number of places, whilst cruising through, to moor up and take a walk to investigate. Often you would think you were in the countryside rather than going through a city. The views from a canal are so different than by car!!

    Just a short walk from our moorings in Campbell Park is a lovely vegetarian cafe and shop run by Camphill communities that support adults with learning difficulties to live and work as independently as possible within the community. Well worth a visit for excellent coffee and service, as well as a browse through their shop with fresh baked bread, assorted condiments and ingredients, as well as all sorts of crafts, jewellery, cards and baskets. Celtic Maid are now the proud owners of a lovely bread basket!!

    In anticipation of the arrival of Kim – Jim and Chris’s daughter – on Friday night, we relocated to Fenny Stratford on Thursday to avail ourselves of nearby shopping and laundry. Jim also took this opportunity to play car shuffle – picking up the faithful Volvo from one location and strategically securing it at a new one in anticipation of our collective non-boating travel needs. We ended up staying here until we moved today, with Jim and Bob relocating the car again while awaiting Kim’s return from London later in the day.

    So we are now moored only about a half a mile further on hoping that a safe return by the intrepid travellers and better weather tomorrow may get us to the Globe Inn near Linslade where we shall have a fine repast and much merriment, me thinks!!!!!

    Oh and a big happy 84th birthday to Bron’s Mum for today. And a whole big bunch of love xxxxx[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_gmaps link=”#E-8_JTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ3d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbSUyRm1hcHMlMkZlbWJlZCUzRnBiJTNEJTIxMW0xOCUyMTFtMTIlMjExbTMlMjExZDQ5MDcuNzUxNzMwOTE4MTE3JTIxMmQtMC43NDUyNTQ0MDEzNjU1OTU2JTIxM2Q1Mi4wNDU1NzM3NTI1MjY4MSUyMTJtMyUyMTFmMCUyMTJmMCUyMTNmMCUyMTNtMiUyMTFpMTAyNCUyMTJpNzY4JTIxNGYxMy4xJTIxM20zJTIxMW0yJTIxMXMweDQ4NzdhYTU0ZDJmMzAzN2QlMjUzQTB4MzJmYzYxZjljMjRjODQ5JTIxMnNDYW1wYmVsbCUyQlBhcmslMjUyQyUyQk1pbHRvbiUyQktleW5lcyUyMTVlMCUyMTNtMiUyMTFzZW4lMjEyc3VrJTIxNHYxNDY0NjE4MjUyMDU1JTIyJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI2MDAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjI0NTAlMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBzdHlsZSUzRCUyMmJvcmRlciUzQTAlMjIlMjBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4lM0UlM0MlMkZpZnJhbWUlM0U=”][/vc_column][/vc_row]