and home again

Thursday 15th July 2021

After a quiet night with no calls from hospitals after midnight, we set off at 9:30 and made our way to the dual Hillmorton lock flight. We had an easy passage down with plenty of boats coming up so didn’t have to turn any locks. Unfortunately there were a lot of newby hirers about so lock passage took much longer than it needed to.

 

Then past Clifton wharf where we were pleased to see lots of green plums growing on the bankside trees, we’ll be back later! Through Rugby and Newbold complete with dark but short tunnel. As we passed Falls Bridge wharf we noticed that the boat lift has been re-painted. We love it as a Tonka Toy!

 

Into Brinklow marina and straight to our berth. Then we packed up, cleaned up and loaded all the stuff for home into the car. Jannock has been away from here since the 12th of May during which time we have had 38 days boating in total. Many things at the marina have changed and from what we’ve seen, all for the better.

A timelapse video of this journey is at https://youtu.be/cTlj61-r4Lk

G&B

Through Braunston to Hillmorton

Wednesday 14th July 2021

Today has been an unusual boating day. The weather has been sunny, not too hot, the breeze has not inconvenienced us. There is little to report.

 

We started off and immediately passed through Braunston tunnel which was smoke free so you could see the other end as you entered. We met no-one coming the other way so even the tunnel passage was un-eventful.

 

Down through Braunston locks solo as no body was waiting on the moorings to go down and no-one was following us through the tunnel. Out the bottom lock we pulled over at UCC so that the Cap’n could discuss engineeringy things before our dry dock visit in October. The dry dock is alongside the bottom lock here.

 

We passed the ‘turn’ with difficulty because a long trad style boat was tied up on the rubbish skip mooring leaving little space between it’s bows and the boat moored on the 14 day moorings opposite.

 

Onto the North Oxford canal and we found ourselves following nb Abraxus again until they moored up just past Hillmorton Wharf – we suspected that the Waterside was the desired destination.

 

We continued on and moored before the road bridge above Hillmorton top lock. One of our favourite moorings due to the proximity of the Exotica Bengal Quisine restaurant – although it was to be a take-away tonight, taken on the foredeck, as Graham is doing blood bike controlling from 7pm.

A timelapse video of today's trip is at https://youtu.be/HcEPLJ3A3vE

G&B

Lunch in Crick, last boat down Watford locks

Tuesday 13th July 2021

Graham made an early start today as he wanted to meet up in Crick with an old work mate for lunch. As he untied he found this tiny frog hanging onto Jannock’s hull side. Not sure how long he’ll stay there once we get going.Brenda made breakfast and a cup of tea once she’s got herself up.

 

We passed this boat, the likes of which I’ve never seen before. Blunt bows with an extended metal overhanging rear deck and all powered by an outboard motor. 

 

We passed the entrance to the Welford Arm, not for us today as we have a lunch date. Unbeknown to us, our Soar lock partners on nb Abraxus had gone down there for the night.

 

Good progress was made, including a stop at Yelvertoft to dump some rubbish and refill the water tap. It is a very fast tap here and so we were soon on the move again arriving at Crick road bridge for ten past twelve.

We lunched at the Wheatsheaf, with very good pub food and a good chat. Then replenished Jannock’s supplies at the Coop store opposite before returning and setting off through Crick tunnel to Watford locks. We were third in line on arrival with six boats coming up the flight. Once they had all ascended then we three were allowed to descend and the lock flight was padlocked up behind us.

 

Out of the bottom of the flight by ten past four  and on to Norton Junction where we turned right towards Braunston and it’s wiggly tunnel. We moored for the night mid way along the summit level in a quiet spot overlooking pastures.

G&B

An 8 hour breakdown

Monday 12th July 2021

Well the Euro’s are over, get your memorabilia cheap in the bargains bin. Cheap shirt any-one? And well done England, a young less experienced team took the silver medal.

We set off at 9am on a grey morning after a wet night. The birds chirruped and tweeted their heads off at stupid-o-clock this morning. No locks today. Before we even reached the first bridge (shown below) we had an engine failure. Symptoms showed a lack of fuel. Good job the Cap’n is also the Engineering Officer!

 

After checking all the obvious and changing the fuel filter for a new one he found that the lift pump on the engine was not sucking the fuel to feed the engine as it should. There followed about one hour of groaning and straining to extract the faulty pump from the dark recesses of the engine hole. Further testing confirmed the pump was not sucking or blowing when operated manually.

He then rang Bryco at Daventry and determined that they had a new replacement available, reserved one and then set off on the Di Blasi to travel the 20 miles to Daventry to purchase it. Then on to Midland Chandlers in adjacent Braunston to get some copper olives to use when refitting.

Having left the Honda generator running to recharge the batteries, it spluttered to a stop 5 minutes after he’d left. It appeared that the Cap’n had forgotten to open the air vent on the generators filler cap and so it had also starved itself of fuel.

On Grahams return, he restarted the generator and then worked to fit the new lift pump onto Jannock’s mighty Kubota engine. After an epic bout of spannering and bleeding of the diesel fuel system Jannock spluttered back into life but not before the battery charger that was connected to the Honda expired.

8 hours after we first set off we started again. It started to rain as we entered Husbands Bosworth tunnel which was good timing. A group of kids playing with an inflatable canoe decided that it would be good to hang onto Jannock’s stern mooring rope and be towed through the tunnel but we sped up so that they could not catch us.

We moored for the night just South of Husbands Bosworth just after 7pm. After his bath the Cap’n grabbed a fresh T shirt from the drawer – this one! Quite apt considering the day he’d had.

 

G&B

Ascending Foxton in 57 minutes

Sunday 11th July 2021

We were up and off at 9am as agreed with the crew of nb Abraxus last night, we enjoyed sharing with them yesterday, we knew it would be a pleasure today. Thanks.

We ascended the five locks to the Market Harborough summit quite quickly, at Taylors Turnover lock a pub had installed a tepee village. With the sides up and being joined with roof panels, they will have provided a fully protected – rain wise – Covid compliant space for customers. Impressive!

 

Then we followed Abraxus through Saddington tunnel. We played Brenda’s new CD, the orchestral version of Freddy Mercury and Monserrat Caballe’ singing together, at a loud volume with the wonderful sounds reverberating on the tunnel walls. Their rendition of Barcelona is another track to be added to the Soddit Cruise tunnel music album.

 

Graham was amazed to find a widebeam boat almost blocking a bridge hole just past Debdale marina. Not an easy obstacle to get around. The addition of it's life ring to the offside stern indicates that other boats had obviously had problems as well.

We arrived at the bottom of Foxton locks so pulled over for lunch while nb Abraxus went onto the lock landing to await ascent. After lunch, we then joined them in the queue and together we waited for three boats to come down the flight.

Then up we went. It was a very easy passage, none of the Sunday gongoozlers got in the way and some of them were quite interested and chatty. Our volunteer lockie had quite a few of the kids opening the gates for him. All in all, the volunteer lockies were invaluable today – tidying, crowd control, engaging, explaining and teaching interested children. Thankyou all, your time is invaluable.

 

At the top lock, Graham popped into Top Lock Cafe and got a couple of ice creams to celebrate the end of the ascent. We cruised the summit until we found a nice quiet spot to spend the rest of the afternoon.

G&B

Two days catch up!

Friday 9th July 2021

Its started well, a warm morning, no rain in sight. Graham set off on the Di Blasi at 8am to fetch our car from Nottingham after an un-interrupted night being controller for SERV-OBN blood bikes (just 4 calls last night).

Brenda had a lay-in and then set off to shop. The provisions were bought – and a huge bag of nectarines for £1. Next task, an outfit for a 60s themed party. A hippy blouse in a charity shop caught her eye. She left the shop having spent £7 on that blouse, another blouse, 240 assorted coloured ear loops for making Covid masks and 24 little bottles of hand sanitiser – the good stuff! On to the market where she got 4 metres of tie die fabric for £4 – peace and love man!

Then it all went prickly pear shaped. Graham had retrieved the car and moved it down to a location south of Leicester. Just setting off back to Jannock and the drive belt on the Di Blasi snapped. At least he hadn’t got far from the car. He packed it back into it’s carry case, put it back in the car and drive home to Thame where there was a spare belt hanging on a nail in the garage. He replaced the broken belt and then drove back to Brinklow marina and parked the car ready for our return next week. He then returned to Jannock in Leicester on the repaired DiBlasi. He arrived back at 6:30 and so we eat dinner and then retired early to bed as we were both shattered.

Saturday 10th July 2021

 

We set off at 9am and immediately met another boat at the first bridge. At the 2nd lock, St Mary’s Mill lock, there were two fishermen who were interested in the boat passing through the lock. Graham enquired what they were fishing for and they said they were more interested in drinking beer than fishing and that they got their beer from the same place as they bought fish – Lidl!

At Whetstone Lane lock we met our first Northbound boat just leaving the lock so we hoped the rest of the locks would be in our favour – unlike the first 6. Unfortunately the next was against us as well so no change there. Just after this lock Graham spotted a lovely garden bar – shame the handpumps were not connected up, just for show.

 

Some of the sections of the Leicester section of the Grand Union canal are getting to look just like the Aylesbury Arm - a bit too overgrown if you meet an on coming boat.

 

When we arrived at Bush lock there was a family (Mum, Dad and two sons) who closed the open top gates for Graham as he approached. This kind act deserved to be rewarded and so we gave the two boys a ride through the lock in Jannock’s foredeck.

We passed through Kilby Bridge without stopping and when we got to Bumblebee lock found we had been chased by nb Abraxus who we had passed mooring in Kilby. They wanted to share the next seven locks with us. The partnership worked well and when we moored for the night near Newton Harcourt they asked if we could share again tomorrow morning for the last five locks to Foxton.

 

Dinner in the sunshine on the foredeck table followed by enjoying the late sun whilst we could.

A time lapse video of today's journey can be found at https://youtu.be/6rMKIdOAreI

G&B

And into Leicester

Thursday 8th July 2021

Last evenings double thunderclap turned into an horrendous storm. The rain got harder and the river level rose by more than 30cm, the water coming over the weir became more powerful and the towpath was flooded as the river broke it’s banks across the field. We had a very anxious night as the water foamed and bits of tree floated past. Graham re-did the mooring lines a couple of times during the evening and even fitted a centre rope as extra security before we went to bed. We were bumping around so much that re-adjustment was required at 3:30 in the morning as well. At least it had stopped raining by then.

This morning the water level had gone back down again, the towpath was no longer awash so we were away and through Sileby lock with Brenda expertly handing the still quite fierce weir stream on her way into the lock, so her worst nightmare manoeuvre was over.

At Cossington Lock, a woman walking her dog told us that in her Lincolnshire town last week a lightning bolt blew the roof off the local Coop store which then had to give away most of the stock – mixed blessings. Just after Junction lock is the entrance to the River Wreake which was the old Melton Mowbray canal that was the reason we saw a pub called 'the Boat' there last Tuesday.

We have spotted lots of footballs floating in the canal but only managed to pick up one to take home for our Grand-daughters. So the final score was Leicester 13 Jannock 1 – the football’s coming home!

 

After Birstall lock we rounded a corner and came across a large number of kayaks with youngsters aboard, they scattered on seeing Jannock even though we slowed to a crawl and then waited for their instructors to signal us through. 

 

As we approached Belgrave lock the National Space Centre was spotted on the right, we would love to visit there but it is only open at weekends and we will be heading towards Foxton by then.

 

We don’t mind the towpath folk being interested or asking questions about canal boat life. Today’s gems were a teenage boy who asked if we lived aboard and then was amazed to learn that we had a sink and cooker and then wanted to know how we got groceries. Another was an older gentleman who watched Brenda bring Jannock into a lock and then told her that it was a very long boat and that she could actually live on it – she just nodded and smiled.

 

Into Leicester and we moored up at Friars Mill moorings as they were almost empty. We could not find the shower that is advertised by a sign on the door and during the daytime the pontoon is not behind a secure gate. Once the car gates are closed at the end of the working day then a CaRT Watermate key is required for access. (Castle Gardens had no moorers tied there and is a more secure mooring but we considered that to be too noisy as it’s alongside a main road)

The market in Leicester was packing up when we arrived at 3pm, it seems that Thursday is a ‘bit early’ closing. Brenda will restock Jannock’s larder tomorrow whilst Graham is recovering the car from Nottingham.  

A time lapse video of today's trip can be found at https://youtu.be/6rMKIdOAreI

G&B

Playing trains

Wednesday 7th July 2021

We set off from our quiet Loughborough mooring and turned left at the junction to find the water point and then moor near bridge 35 to be nearer today’s entertainment. When we arrived at the Boat Inn a sign on the wall stated that the water point was no longer in use – Bu$$er! We amended our new copy of Nicholsons and continued on and moored just after bridge 35, adjacent to Windlass Close, and wandered up the road to Grand Central station.

 

The trip on the train behind the Hall class locomotive Witherslack Hall to Leicester North took 30 minutes and after 15 minutes we returned to Loughborough. There were very few passengers on the first train of the day so we had a compartment to ourselves in the first carriage behind the engine. We could hear the engine as well as the efforts of the crew on the footplate, we could smell the coal and the smoke – brilliant!

 

At Leicester North, the engine changed ends so we wandered down to the other end and settled our selves in a First Class compartment for the return journey. An excellent trip that had to be done as we found ourselves in Loughborough. For the whole trip the dining car was serving cooked breakfasts and bacon sandwiches and the smell was lovely, so on our return to Loughborough we walked back to Jannock for bacon sarnies for lunch.

We then set off again, back towards Leicester again, but this time by boat. At the first lock, blue sky turned to grey and it poured down and then it got worse. At Barrow Mill Basin we pulled over fir a break and found a water point and rubbish disposal – not mentioned in Nich’s so yet another amendment made. Every cloud has a silver lining.

 

The sun returned so we made a bid for an overnight mooring. 

 

As there was a double clap of thunder we pulled into a 62ft space on Sileby lock moorings. Black sky to port and bright sunshine to starboard we tied up for the night. With strong weirs and a lot of extra water in the river we have decided that it is much easier to navigate the River Soar heading downstream than it is up it.

G&B

A day trip to buy a pie

Tuesday 6th July 2021

The morning weather looked promising after a very wet night but the weather forecast suggests that it wouldn’t live up to the promise.

We ascended the two locks to Loughborough and made our way to the basin. Although there were only two boats moored there, we were unable to find anywhere to safely moor Jannock so we winded, returned to the junction, winded again and reversed to the visitor moorings just before and tied up. Then it started to rain so once again our timing was perfect.

 

Then off for a jolly, a visit to Melton Mowbray to buy a pork pie! What a lovely little town. There is so much interesting architecture to see as you walk around the town. The Anne of Cleves pub is 14th century, built for monastic priests, it was owned by Thomas Cromwell. Henry VIII had him executed and then gave it to Anne of Cleves as a divorce settlement – happy days!

 

There is a ‘Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe’ where the eponymous pies were invented to provide portable snacks for the huntsmen and their retinue as Melton Mowbray ‘hosted’ three hunts – Belvoir, Cottesmore and Quorn (fancy hunting Quorn?) A good town for a mooch thanks to our bus passes ;^)

We lunched at St Mary’s centre and on the stairs to the …. loos were some paintings of huntsmen painting the town red. The saying originates from a night in 1837 when the 3rd Marquis of Waterford and his fox hunting chums were asked to pay a toll, we suspect they could well afford it but instead, stole some red paint and painted the toll keeper, a constable and much of the town red. He was perhaps the first ‘hooray henry’ – a yob!

 

On our way back to the bus stop, we noticed another old building sign written as Manchester and Sons, outfitters and clothiers. On closer inspection it was a micro-pub known as Beerheadz. The landlord has only been there 6 weeks and is still working to get it right. We decided that the rooms to the back of the building were much older than the shop part at the front. The young landlord informed us that it was built mid 1300s – perhaps Anne of Cleves popped in for a pint. The ladies loo was upstairs so Brenda had a good mooch around the upstairs rooms – doors all open. It’s gorgeously old and deserves to be preserved. Mine host appreciates it’s age and hopes to care for the building appropriately. Brenda is pleased to say that it is the oldest loo she’s ever been in.

 

Back on the bus to Loughborough where Brenda fell in love with the ceramic benches dotted around the market place. Back to Jannock for tea rounding the evening off with a couple of pints in the Swan and Rushes – a Castle Rock pub opposite the basin.

G&B

Farewell Nottingham

Monday 5th July 2021

The overnight rain had stopped by breakfast time, but there was still a steady breeze doing it’s best to upset navigation. We spent a few minutes watching young sand martins being lazy and taking insects that had settled on the side of the boat, leaving the adults to do the fancy water skimming stuff.

Beeston lock was quickly passed through followed by the long slog up the Trent to Cranfleet lock. This was very lively due to being a singleton in a lock with no ground paddles. When we emerged there was a boat moored each side on the lock landings. The wind and current had every intention that Jannock should crash into the bows of the one on the towpath side. The woman sat in the bows looked concerned as we worked to avoid her. Graham then got off and pushed our bows over so that we missed her and only at that point did she make any attempt to help – too late luv! Thing is the visitor moorings were pretty empty so why did they think it was OK to moor up, having admitted that they were not passing through the lock, on the lock landing immediately outside the top gate?

 

Onto the River Soar where Graham spotted the first leopard print narrowboat he’s ever seen. We passed through Ratcliffe lock solo and then had another southbound boat arrive just as we were leaving. Graham promised we would wait for them at the next lock but then caught up with a couple who had two boats, a wide beam and a narrowboat, so we ended up sharing with that narrowboat instead. A lovely couple, the lady admitted that the only reason that they were still together was that they had two boats – but we didn’t believe her.

 

Some of the lock gates along this stretch are in desperate need of repair but I suppose they are not a priority for CaRT  as this stretch has plenty of water available so the problems are not highlighted by empty pounds.

 

As we approached Zouch, we were entertained by a National Grid EC145 helicopter that was inspecting the electricity pylons and associated cables alongside the river. The flying skills of those pilots is incredible with all the hovering and manoeuvring around so that they could get a good look at all the joints and insulators.

We decided to opt for a quiet overnight mooring just before Bishop Meadow lock, outside of Loughborough so that we can have an easy run in tomorrow. An evening walk made us wonder why there appears to be gongoozler seating at the bottom end of the lock.

 

On our way back to Jannock we got talking with the owner on a boat called GoGo. This is a WWII vintage craft that was one of four built for the RAF to be used in the Solent as a fuel tender for seaplanes operating out of Calshott. A lovely little craft although he has been waiting at Leicester for the river levels to go up with the rain as it had a 1.3 metre draft.

G&B

Jannock sets off again

Sunday 4th July 2021

Our 14 days mooring in Nottingham is up and we were not sure whether we could actually get to Jannock today as Brenda’s awaited prescription hadn’t arrived at Thame Boots by close of play Saturday – however she went in at 10am this morning and it was there so we could go boating as planned. Hooray.

 

We arrived at Jannock via one of the very local supermarkets here to restock the vittles in the galley. Once we had unloaded our things from the car the heavens opened so we busied ourselves putting things away and making the beds etc.

A duck had make a nest on the roof of the boat next door and today must be ‘leaving the nest day’ – Mum went down into the water then then encouraged all 7 babies to make a leap of faith, bouncing off the gunnels, and into the water. They then grouped and swam off out of the marina.

Just after 4pm the rain stopped so Graham started Jannock and made towards the marina entrance, just in time to find a 70ft tug style narrowboat coming in through the entrance. The picture shows the shape of the marina entrance so we held back to allow him in before making our exit stage left towards Beeston.

 

The plan was to moor up before Beeston lock for the night where it is hoped we’ll get a nice peaceful night. Once the pegs were in and Jannock tied up securely for the night, the heavens opened again with yet another thunderstorm.

G&B