McBoating on Sonya-Day #9

Sunday 26th June 2016

We left our mooring in Bowling, a one horse village if ever there was one, at 8:45 this morning in order to meet the Scottish Canals team at the Bascule bridge at 9 o’clock. We can only imagine the noise, smell and industry that parented this little place when ships were born alongside this part of the Clyde, and moved goods and people across the world. Graham fell in love with this ‘mini’ Puffer moored there. The Aussies on nb Gosling a little way behind us so we sat on the landing and chatted to today’s duty crew until they arrived. Eddie was there, he was with us yesterday but we only have two guys today, not four like yesterday. As we passed through Farm Road bridge the guys were hinting about a hot drink, and knowing that the drop lock was likely to take 40 minutes Brenda put the kettle on whilst I took their orders.

On into Clydebank shopping centre and it’s two lift bridges. Once these were negotiated we had to stop at the ‘sail through’ chip shop to obtain our lunch, a bucket list item if you have a bucket list. A large portion of chips was not cheap and then Brenda put them into the oven to keep warm. unfortunately it was a long time till we stopped and so our chip butties were not as good as we hoped they’d be.

When we passed some flats yesterday we’d observed a swan bashing the patio door glass with his beak. We thought he might be fighting his shadow but he was doing it again today. Having had no response he then moved on to the next set of patio doors. Obviously he does this for food.

By now the rain had set in, and it remained with us until we cleared Maryhill top lock. In one of the Clobberhill locks I found a football floating near the bottom gate so I rescued it and sat it in the life ring on the rear hatch. We stopped above Temple locks so that the Canals guys could have a cup of tea in their Bothy, we were still finishing our lunch when they were ready to go again so it was back into the wet garments and back to the locks.

Maryhill bottom lock is the deepest in these parts and it was also where many prisoners took leave of land in the British isles. Maryhill was a military and prison area. Prisoners were put into boats to travel to the Clyde and their waiting prison ships from here. They would hope that they were the last to board and that the weather was set fair or they could spend months waiting for the ship to fill or weather to improve before sailing for …. Australia.

We were ably assisted up the Maryhill flight by the addition of two more Canals staff and four volunteer lockies, all cheerful even though the weather was far from pleasant. Out of the top lock and we bade farewell to the volunteers. Our Canals guys would open the two bridges in order for us to moor for the night in Spiers Wharf. On the way there Graham took us on a little detour through the lagoon outside Partick Thistle football stadium. We had checked that it was navigable, indeed there are even mooring pontoons there. There were also some very surprised fishermen who flapped a bit. To our surprise, they were not rude to us for interupting their fishing spot, they just said that boats were never seen in there.

Just past last Friday night's mooring spot, two little ‘erberts were walking along the towpath full of whys and hows. They asked whose football we had, the second set of kids to do so since I fished it out of the lock, very strange. Brenda offered the football to them and they were very pleased to accept, just wondering where we’d got it from.

As we entered Spiers wharf, we were following another hireboat which ran aground. I suggested they use reverse to get some water under the hull but that was ignored. I also asked if they would like me to take a rope as we passed to pull them off the mud but that was refused as well so we continued on past them, winded and moored up. By the time nb Gosling was passing them they had decided that maybe a tow would be beneficial and once they were free one of the Canals guys assisted them to clear a whole load of black muddy weed from around their prop. When all three of us were happily tied up at the wharf the rain started again. Haggis Pakoras for starter this evening – they are really nice, shame Tescos don’t sell them darn sarf.

Graham & Brenda

McBoating on Sonya-Day #8

Saturday 25th May 2016

Today was the end of week one and time to go to Bowling, where the Forth and Clyde canal meets the River Clyde, so we needed an early start.

8am and the first drama of the day, a seagull swooped into the basin and took a fish. Unfortunately the fish was bait on a fishermans line and the seagull became tangled up. The gull became distressed and the sky above immediately filled other gulls who started to dive bomb it, pecking at it. Talk about kick a man when he’s down! The fisherman and his mate fetched a large landing net and reeled the gull in to land it. Poor fisherman got clawed and pecked for their troubles whilst they tried to release the gull un-harmed. When they released it the flock returned and had another go at it, nasty creatures gulls.

Once this drama was played out, I reversed the boat out and winded in the basin so we could make our 9am rendezvous at Maryhill top lock. Once nb Gosling (crewed by the Aussies we met at Linlithgow last week) arrived we were off down the locks ably assisted by six Scottish Waterways staff plus eight volunteers. We soon fell into a routine with Sonya leading and Gosling following.

Near Great Western road bridges we spotted an urban Fox just curled up in a cosy hollow in the undergrowth on the bank enjoying the Glasgow sunshine. Can you spot it in this picture? (Clue :- Just one ear clearly showing) It seems that few boats pass this way so it wasn’t surprising it didn’t try to hide, just looked puzzled as we passed. Then further on there were a group of terrapins basking in the sunshine between downpours. The clear water here must suit them well.

At Boghouse top lock we took on a cabin boy. A lad and his Gran were out for a walk. He was very interested in the boats and his Gran asked if he could come aboard. Of course! He was very nervouse about the step down into the front well-deck but finally joined Brenda there. He explained that he’d just done canals at school, he was nine, he’d never been to England and was probably the only one in his class who’d been on a canalboat. He got off at the next lock, spoke with Gran and then turned to ask if he could ride to the next lock as well. This time Brenda sent him down the back to experience the noisy end. As we finally bade farewell he tahnked us and said we’d made his day – he was so chuffed!

Onward to Clydebank shopping centre where there was a ‘sail through’ fish and chip shop. Based on a boat, it has a serving hatch canal side for passing boats to order, pay for and collect their fish and chips – genius. We’d have stopped to get some to heat up with our dinner later but were not sure how Gosling would cope with us suddenly stopping in front of them – normally the locking crew take a break here but we were running late due to the late start.

And then to Dalmuir drop lock. We were informed by the wonderful Scottish Waterways locking team (now down to four as the volunteers stopped after Clobberhill locks) that it is the only one in the world. You enter, the water in the lock is pumped out so you drop to the lower level, you then move under the raod to the other side where water is allowed back in to take you back to canal level again. It takes approx 40 minutes to pass under this road. Apparently it can take up to one and a half hours for higher craft to pass through.

All together we transited eighteen locks and eight moveable bridges today, all operated by Scottich Waterways staff – brew breaks built in and usually a lunch stop at th F&C boat but not today as we had a delayed start.

Once into Bowling basin, the Scottish Waterways staff indicated which moorings we should take and assisted us by pulling on ropes to get us in there. I went and investigated the shower block and then used it to make myself presentsble again. We then went for a walk around the basin and the village including a vist to the local pub. Then back to the boat for dinner just as the heavens opened with a really heavy thunderstorm. We have been so lucky with the weather today considering it was forecast to rain all day. Lovely sunshine with occaisional showers all the way down.

Graham

McBoating on Sonya-Day #7

Friday 24th June 2016

We left Kirkintilloch at 9am expecting a wet morning’s travelling to Glasgow, as it happened we have been spared most of the rain today. You do not realise that you are entering the environs of Glasgow until the last minute as the canal approach is very rural. Between our overnight moorings and the Glasgow road bridge we happened across a weed collecting boat busy gathering up all the loose weed and dumping it onto the offside bank. The driver kindly gave us a wave as we passed.

During passage of the stretch between Bishopbriggs and Glasgow we came across more horseflies than Ive ever seen before – our with the Deet spray to do my legs having killed three who were taking a meal from me. We made our way to the Scottish Waterways offices before Spiers Wharf as they advertise visitor moorings without needing to get the bridges lifted for access to the wharf proper. They were mostly full of non-overnight moorers leaving us just enough space to squeeze in before the bascule bridge. My work colleague John arrived and had lunch with us aboard before kindly offering to provide transport for us to get to the Riverside museum. A lovely museum, friendly, welcoming and inclusive. Scotland’s public museums are still free, it showed as there were families with small children just out for amusement – the learning is a side effect.

Having seen the bathroom on the tall ship Brenda is thinking about doing up Jannock’s bathroom.

We took the bus back into the city centre as we wanted to have a wander around. The driver was very good being both helpful to those not familiar with sterling as well as providing a running commentary on the buildings and places we passed. After a couple of hours wandering around enjoying the wonderful architechture of the centuries we ended up in George Square just as a demo was gathering. It was an anti Donald Trump demo that got somewhat hijacked by the Scottish Independance MkII protestors – apparently they voted to remain in the EU whilst the UK “are dragging them out against their will”.

We ate in a wonderful Greek restaurant called Elia where all the staff spoke fluent Glaswegian as well as fluent Greek. We decided that this was the best Greek food we’ve had for a very long time and was better than some we’d had in Greece or Crete. Conveniently, this restaurant was right next door to the Counting House, a Wetherspoons pub that used to be RBS HQ, so it was in for a nice pint after the meal.

Then back to Union Street to catch a bus back to the boat. We asked if the bus went to Maryhill and the driver said No. A bus inspector that we had collared earlier had said this was the bus we needed so we explained to the driver that we were heading towards Spiers Wharf and so that was OK. When we sat down a local got chatting to us and pointed out that if we stayed on the bus for another two stops we would end up nearer our boat. The driver called us when we got to the Spiers Wharf stop but we asked to stay on for another two and then explained what had happened as we got off. A quick walk up the hill brought to where Sonya was moored.

The only rain we had was while John was with us on the boat for lunch so we’ve been very lucky. Not so sure about tomorrow as we have got nineteen locks (including a ‘drop lock’ – never done one of those before) all the way down to Bowling where the canal meets the Clyde.

Graham

McBoating on Sonya–Day #6

Thursday 23rd June 2016

Last night’s mooring, just below the Falkirk wheel, was a nice quiet location even though a railway line passes close by. The line is in a cutting and so the noise is not intrusive.

This morning we were due to meet our Scottish canals team at Bonnybridge at 10:00 and so I set us off just after 9am. We arrived a bit early so tied to the pontoon and it was only a few minutes before their van arrived. Ian came over and briefed us on the passage through the four locks and also comfirmed that our final destination for the day was Kirkintilloch.

As we arrived at Underwood (the top) lock our bicycle equipped locking team of three awaited our arrival. One of the guys had an electric assisted tri-cycle which Brenda quite liked the look of. Smoothly through that lock and we then came across a deer stood on the towpath. Luckily the Scottish canals crew, in van and on bicycles quickly slowed down so as not to frighten it. The passage through all four locks was quick with the top gates being left wide open ready for the boats that were going to pass back up the flight once we were down.

After that it was a long run through Dullatur Marsh which is an SSSI with a stretch of lovely wide straight canal bordered by a ridge of hills to the north. We arrived at Twechar Bridge (the next to be operated by Scottich Canals) and tied onto the landing to wait for five minutes before the crew of two arrived. Once through that bridge we continued on to Hillhead bridge on the outskirts of Kirkintilloch which is our last manned bridge of the day. The crew were already here waiting and we passed straight through.

On our way through the SSSI we spotted a lovely rural mooring which we intend to stop at on the way back next Monday.

We moored for the night on the ample visitor mooring pontoons in Kirkintilloch next to the University building. After a walk around the town we eat on board before going for a pint in the Kirky Puffer. This was a first for me as I’ve never been into a Wetherspoons pub that was formerly a Police Station.

Graham

McBoating on Sonya–Day #5

Wednesday 22nd June

Firstly, something I forgot to mention yesterday – as I approached our overnight mooring in Linlithgow (spelt properly this time) I spotted Brenda’s ‘Yeti’ that gave us the hassle on Sunday afternoon. It had been captured and was now tied to the bank at Linlithgow wharf.

We have been interpreting the local BBC weather forecast for this area. Apparently “You’ll be unlucky to catch a shower” means “You’ll get wet!”. Just our luck.

Yesterday Brenda was rather poorly, quite convinced that she’d got appendicitus at one point. Pain and fever, mostly gone this morning. She must have slept well because she didn’t recall it being dark at any point last night.

I rang Scottish Canals at 09:00 to book some lock and bridge transits and it wasn’t answered. Five minutes later the guy rang me back so we are now all sorted until Monday. We set off from Linlithgow at 09:15 – we were the third hireboat to leave the visitor moorings, the Aussies were on their way at 07:00 – and headed towards Falkirk.

We stopped at the Tesco supermarket, opposite the prison, near bridge 55 and stocked up on meats that we cannot afford at home, rack of lamb at £3.00, big piece of brisket for £2, scotch smoked haddock and more scotch pies – we can’t get enough of them. Whilst there we found HAGGIS PAKORA so we bought some. We thought adding Black Pudding Pakora and battered Haggis too much so we just got a photo of them ;^) Brenda also found a Lees Macaroon, a sweetie that she hadn’t seen for decades. It’s not as good as she remembers it to be, it’s probably exactly the same at 110% sugar but her taste has matured.

Back onto the boat and yet more rain, through Falkirk tunnel and so I rang the Wheel booking line, as instructed by our hire base hand-over brief, to book our transit through the locks and wheel. I was told in no uncertain terms that we should give 24 hours notice of our requirement so I just pleaded ignorance as I was following the instructions we had been given. As it was we went straight into the top lock and then shared the wheel with an ABC widebeam hireboat that had left Linlithgow an hour before we did. As we were called into the caisson, the wide beam showed us how strong the cross wind was and so I took extreme care when we entered. It’s a good job all those gongoozlers down below can’t see what goes on up here.

 

Once out of the bottom lock we turned left onto the Forth and Clyde canal towards Glasgow and then tied up for the night on the visitor pontoon. We then returned to the wheel site for a ‘tourist’ session. Will most likely wander back up there later hoping that it’s all lit up at night time.

 

Graham

P.S. at the visitor centre they sold ‘Wheel Ale’

McBoating on Sonya–Day #4

Tuesday 21st June

Ahh – the days will get shorter now, nights drawing in. But here in Scotland that’s relative, still light at gone 10pm and dawn breaks at 4ish in the morning. All very well but how do they cope in winter?

At 10 am we moved across the quay onto the facilities mooring and emptied our rubbish and filled our water tank. Sonya has a handy water level guage in the lounge, something sorely missing on Jannock. At 10:30am, Leamington Lift bridge was lifted for us and we left India Quay heading towards Glasgow.

During our trip from Edinburgh to the M8 bridge (21a) we met the same four widebeam tripboats that we had happened across on our way into Edinburgh. When we got to bridge 21a it is obvious that the Union canal used to be truncated by the M8 motorway as the route veers around a couple of bends before going under the motorway where the field fences indicate that it used to go straight at this point. The bridge is identified as being built in 2000 so was obviously done as part of the millenium push to re-open the canal.

We passed Gamebird again and this time I managed to get a photo. As the afternoon drew on, it became colder and colder in the wind and so Brenda took refuge inside the boat and put the heating on. Once I had moored us for the night later on she was fast asleep so I hope she’s not sickening for something.

As I passed back through the strange landscape near Fairnie Hill it became obvious that these mounds are man made so there must have been mining or quarrying going on in these parts long ago. I continued on and moored up for the night at Linlithgo.

An ABC hireboat crewed by two Australian couples pulled in onto the mooring behind and so I chatted with them for a while before coming in aand preparing dinner. Brenda is still not too bright so I’ll wait and see how she’s feeling in the morning before booking the lock passages needed to continue on into Glasgow.

Graham

McBoating on Sonya–Day #3

Monday 20th June 2016

Half past eight and we’re off from our lovely peaceful rural mooring, so I thought I had better get out of bed ;^)  Immediately we cruised through a strange landscape; natural or industrial spoil tidied up by mother nature – better look that up. (Bridge 38 – Fawns Park Bridge) Could it be Fairnie Hill? As we went along natural seemed the answer, there were outcrops all along what would have been a sandstone ridge.

We passed Ian and Anne’s boat Gamebird moored at Drumshoreland, We’ve not been able to get hold of them to let them know we are on their patch.

Graham spotted this shed disguised as a castle on an island in the canal just before Ratho. We approached Edinburgh as our tummies approached lunchtime. When on holiday you have to try new local delicacies. I warmed up a couple of Macaroni pies. They will have to go on my repertoir. G. normally dislikes macaroni cheese but declared that the pies were nice. Macaroni cheese in a pie case, what’s not to like?

As we finished our lunch we met a sequence of four wide beam trip boats heading West. The passengers in the fordeck of the last one offered us sandwiches from a vast and varied selection. Sadly we declined. Half an hour earlier would have been different.

Into Ediinburgh and then through Leamington bridge in order to wind and then tie up in the Quay area. There was a very strong wind rushing down the canal at the winding point and G. had great difficulty turning Sonya around as the wind was pushing the bows around faster than he could turn them. In the end he had to rely on the end of a pontoon to act as a pivot point in order to get the boat turned around. We then moored against the North bank pointing West again.

The sun finally came out again as we went for a tourist mooch around Edinburgh, we avoided the crowded areas find little alleyways to take us to interesting places. A lovely city. As we walked back towards Sonya our tummies made themselves known, normal food time is 6pm and that is usually too early for a lot of restaurants, but just 5 mins from the quay we happened across the Guchhi Indian Restaurant. We went in and although we were the only customers there, boy was the food good – in fact so good, they get the full plug :-

Guchhi, 50 East Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 9BH – 0131 228 6666 www.guchhi.co.uk  they deliver takeaways between midday and 3am. We joked that they didn’t do haggis pakora (Graham is detemined to find some in Glasgow) on the menu but were told that if we had asked for it, they would prepare it. Never mind, we’ll save that delicacy for Glasgow.

We looked up Dormouse to try and identify what G. saw yesterday and apparently there are none in Scotland. He’s still wondering what it was he spotted on the bankside.

P.S. I love the little ‘beach hut’ type sheds all the Scottish Waterways residential moorings get.

Brenda

McBoating on Sonya–Day #2

Sunday 19th June

During Graham’s morning tasks (check coolant water, check weedhatch etc.) he found that Sonya’s propellor is very badly damaged with large chunks missing from the blades, no wonder she isn’t very good at stopping or reversing.

We set off from our peaceful overnight mooring and whilst we were heading towards Falkirk tunnel G. spotted an unusual mammal that he could not identify. It was a bit smaller than a squirrel with not much tail at all and fawn/grey colouring. As we do not have Jannock’s reference library on board we will have to wait until we’ve got good internet connection before researching what it was. Could it have been a Dormouse?

On into the tunnel, which is very well lit such that the construction and roof geology are clear to see. Unusually, for us, much of the roof consists of flat great slabs of ancient rock. The next feature we passed across was the Avon Aquaduct which afforded us a lovely view down and across the countryside. Onward to Linlithgo where we moored just before the wharf in order to explore the town having been told it was ‘quite pretty’. We didn’t expect a palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, splendid.

The town square adjacent is attractive, the Cross Well. The parish church has an interesting replacement aluminium spire, c1964 on a church consecrated c1242. Then behind the Palace are the parklands, the Peel and a loch. You can walk all around these for free but be prepared to pay to enter the Palace. It would seem we missed the town gala by one day. There were plenty of eateries in evidence.

Walk over, we set off again and G.went inside for a shower whilst I stayed at the tiller for mine – from the clouds. I had a close call with the Linlithgo Canal Centre trip boat, which we had been following, as it suddenly appeared around a corner which I was trying to get round – luckily we could pass on the wrong side. That must have turned around quickly! As G. finished his shower I came across a ‘Yeti’, a floating island of weed, the biggest ever as it completely blocked the canal. All my skill got me nowhere as it did not split and just jammed itself onto the base of the bow post (obviously an eyelet down there for attaching a cable to the boat). With no hacking tool on board G. just attacked it with the boat hook until we were able to drive through it.

Rain stopped play at about 4:10pm as we found somewhere quiet to stop for the night just before the rain changed from drizzle and started hammering it down. As G. types this up at 9pm the sun has just come out.

Brenda

McBoating on Sonya–Day #1

Saturday 18th June 2016

We have left Jannock moored up on her mooring and switched our alegence to Sonya, a Black Prince Duchess 4 based at Falkirk. We have always wanted to ‘do’ the Falkirk wheel as well as the Forth and Clyde and Union canals in Scotland. Therefore for the next two weeks we will be blogging from Sonya instead of Jannock (which is an ex-Black Prince Duchess 4)

We travelled up to Falkirk via Lytham St Annes and Blackpool where we stopped for the night. Ever since Brenda missed visiting the seaside on Christmas day due to hurting her ankle at Brinklow last December she has been hankering after going to the beach. I thought visiting Lytham St Annes would solve that problem but when we got there the tide was out and we could not see the sea. Luckily, by the time we’d travelled on to Blackpool, booked into our hotel and gone out for a walk again the tide had come in enough to keep her happy.

This morning we set off towards Falkirk and arrived at the hire base just after our allotted arrival time of 2:30pm having called into Tescos for lunch and to provision for the start of the trip. We were amazed by the amount of items we found with price reductions with most of the regular prices being lower than at home. We treated ourselves to some Scottish favourites as we enjoy trying out local delicacies when we go on holiday.

On arrival at Capercallie cruisers base at the Falkirk wheel the reception was very friendly and efficient. We were advised how to take the car canalside and we started to unload our belongings onto Sonya. Once loaded and briefed about how things worked we were taken through the swingbridge into the lock up to the wheel basin. Brenda steered whilst I manned the bow rope. Once through the lock we went straight into the wheel and ascended to the Union canal. Once through Falkirk tunnel we turned left and straight into the Falkirk wheel top locks. Once through those, the Scottish waterways guys went off duty and we set off eastwards towards Edinburgh.

About three quarters of a mile past the locks we came across a small spur off of the canal with visitor moorings (and a water point) and so with some difficulty I managed to reverse into the spur and we moored on a pontoon for the night.

Sonya is a very different to control compared to Jannock. When you hit reverse on Sonya not much seems to happen apart from a lot of water being thrashed about. This made stopping, and then reversing into the spur a very difficult manouvre. She refuses to steer at all in reverse and when not moving forward at a reasonable speed the bows are un-controllable. I suspect she is drastically under-propped.

After a locally themed meal of Scotch Pie with salad followed by a Chocolate fudge brownie pizza (yes, you read that correctly) we spent the evening packing all our stuff away and finding out where everything lives on a different boat. We are saving the macaroni cheese pies for another meal.

Graham