HERE WE GO AGAIN!

[Janet S]

Well, it's that time of year again - we're off for two weeks tomorrow on our annual pootle round the canal network, and for once, we don't have a plan!

 

Our intention was to do the South Pennine Ring, but a continuing stoppage on the Rochdale Canal at Castleton means that we'll have to postpone that until another time. We should be used to it by now - this is the fourth year in succession that we've been unable to do it due to stoppages. We're not beaten though - we'll do it one day!

 

So, at the moment our plans are pretty much what you could call "flexible". In other words, we don't know what we're going to do! We were thinking of doing the Outer Pennine Ring instead, but that's going to involve an awful lot of very long (12/13 hours cruising) to get round in two weeks, and looking at the weather today and the long range forecast, it may be turn out to be a bit more of a chore than a pleasure cruise. We don't mind the long days, but long days in the pouring rain? We're still thinking about it....

 

We're taking Devon again, from Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge. Lovely little bright red and blue boat - this will be the second time we've taken her out. She's only a baby at 32 ft long, but she thinks she's bigger!

 

So, it's going to be a case of "spot the narrowboat" - we could head up to York and Ripon, pootle up the Leeds and Liverpool to Skipton and beyond, down the Aire and Calder to Sheffield, maybe head down to do the Cheshire Ring again, or possibly just two weeks round Sowerby Bridge basin - your guess is as good as mine!

 

Janet

 

PS. Anyone know where I can get a supply of cheap blue paint......?

[RichardH]

Have a great time.

 

Been meaning to ask what engine do the Shire boats have in, we can hear them a mile off !

Edited May 11, 2007 by RichardH

[Chris J W]

Have a fantastic pootle!

 

 

(meet me out back, got some half used tins here ...)

[Hairy-Neil]

- we could head up to York and Ripon,

 

They let you take their hire boats out on the tidal Ouse at Selby?

[Janet S]

Yes, but only to very experienced crews.

 

Janet

[gaggle]

yeh , have a ball. just waiting to scoot off for a week meself but the garage has my car , promised it back today but as yet no phone call the swines.

[Sir Nibble]

Put a white sheet on the roof thursdays so's Nobber can spot you for bockle deliveries.

[purplehaze]

Soooo jealous. two weeks and we only have 3 and a half days!! Have a really good time

[Janet S]

I'm sure we will, wherever we end up! Hope we (and you!) get some decent weather, but I think we'd both better pack snorkels and flippers!

 

Janet

[Janet S]

Right - the decision's made. We are going to go hell for leather and try and do the Outer Pennine Ring in two weeks from Sowerby Bridge. Just two of us and a little boat with a long way to go!

 

We're leaving tomorrow afternoon, and will be going through Standedge Tunnel on Wednesday morning. Saturday morning should see us ready to go up the Wigan Flight onto the Leeds and Liverpool back to base.

 

I've read somewhere (possibly on here) that if you phone the lock keepers on the Wigan flight in advance, they may help to set the locks for you. Does anyone have any more information?

 

Janet

[mayalld]

Right - the decision's made. We are going to go hell for leather and try and do the Outer Pennine Ring in two weeks from Sowerby Bridge. Just two of us and a little boat with a long way to go!

 

We're leaving tomorrow afternoon, and will be going through Standedge Tunnel on Wednesday morning. Saturday morning should see us ready to go up the Wigan Flight onto the Leeds and Liverpool back to base.

 

Calculates on back of envelope...

 

Wednesday: Roaches Lock

Thursday: Portland Basin

Friday: Castlefield

Saturday: Dover Lock

 

Looks OK to me

[Christine]

Have a wonderful time Janet - you deserve a fantastic holiday after working so jolly hard!

 

Good luck with the weather and remember the white sheet on the roof.

[Janet S]

White sheet is ready for next week's bockle delivery.

 

Bags all packed. Plants watered. Children put up for adoption. Food ready to throw in coolbox.

 

All I need now is somebody to hold my hand and tell me that we CAN do it! There's only two of us, trying to do what we've been told is a three week cruise in two weeks. However, Susan at Shire Cruisers seems to think we can do it. I'm sure she wouldn't let us attempt it if she thought the boat wasn't going to be back on time. She knows how far we took Devon last time. Apparently nobody had ever taken her that far in two weeks!

 

Looks like we have a few long, wet days ahead! Much the same as last year then....

 

Janet

[Supermalc]

Hope you enjoy it.........raincoats and macs, damp firelighters for the BBQ. Standing out in the rain, when you can be nice and dry for half the price on a cruiser.

 

I DO NOT detract from you wanting to 'go boating' as apposed to being cosseted in the pub (or shopping centre).

 

Really really look forward to your post afterwards.............

[mayalld]

White sheet is ready for next week's bockle delivery.

 

Bags all packed. Plants watered. Children put up for adoption. Food ready to throw in coolbox.

 

All I need now is somebody to hold my hand and tell me that we CAN do it! There's only two of us, trying to do what we've been told is a three week cruise in two weeks. However, Susan at Shire Cruisers seems to think we can do it. I'm sure she wouldn't let us attempt it if she thought the boat wasn't going to be back on time. She knows how far we took Devon last time. Apparently nobody had ever taken her that far in two weeks!

 

Looks like we have a few long, wet days ahead! Much the same as last year then....

 

Janet

You can do it!

 

It sounds like you do my kind of boating (Lower Peak Forest to Stratford and back in 2 weeks)

[Hairy-Neil]

Apparently nobody had ever taken her that far in two weeks!

 

We've had that look of incredulity when we've returned hire boats before now.....Once took a Braunston boat to Warwick, Stratford on Avon, Tewkesbury, Worcester, Birmingham, Fazeley, Coventy (including the arm) Braunston.......Canalplan AC says it takes 12 days at 9 hours per day.......We did it on a week's hire with a crew of 5......

 

 

Canalplan says your trip will take 13 days at 9 hours per day......Childsplay.....

Edited May 11, 2007 by Hairy-Neil

[Janet S]

Childsplay

 

I really hope so! We usually do 12 - 14 hour days, but not with the weather that's forecast for the next two weeks. We may very well not be speaking to each other at the end of it!

 

May seem a bit of a heavy schedule for many of you boaters, but we only have this two weeks every year - we need to make the most of it!

 

If anyone sees us on our travels, and feels the urge to open a few lock gates or open a swing bridge or two, we won't put up any objections!

 

Also, if you do see us, please give us a wave and say hello! The kettle's always on for visitiors, although you may have to leap onto a moving boat as we ain't stopping until we know we're safely on the home stretch!

 

Janet

[Big John]

We're taking Devon again, from Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge. Lovely little bright red and blue boat - this will be the second time we've taken her out. She's only a baby at 32 ft long, but she thinks she's bigger!

Hi Janet,

 

We took Cornwall out (interestingly we lived in Cornwall!), and the main problem was the loo tank resulted in a serious list after a while. Made us certain we didn't want to use Black Prince again

 

Did you have the same problem?

[Janet S]

We've taken Devon out before, and had absolutely no problems with the boat on our two weeks. Couldn't fault either the boat, or the excellent service we received from all the staff at Shire Cruisers. The guys at Shire are just brilliant. They even spent time outside their normal working hours on the day England were playing Portugal in the World Cup, (and just into the second half!) helping us to fix the outboard motor on Wet Betsy, with a big smile and no charge.

 

The only Cornwall I know is a Shire Cruisers boat, rather than Black Prince? Are we talking about different boats?

 

However, when we took Rosemary from Canal Cruising Co last year, we did have a slight problem, but only because we didn't get a pump out when we should have (and obviously far too much Guinness and wine! Absolutely nothing to do with the boat!

 

Janet

[Janet S]

All packed and raring to go. Just waiting for OCM to come over to pick me up.

 

I'm sure I've forgotten to pack something, (as I always do!) but right now I don't care!

 

I have a duly authorised Permission to Abscond, so I'll see you all back here in a couple of weeks.

 

Stay safe everyone.

 

Janet

[Hairy-Neil]

We've had that look of incredulity when we've returned hire boats before now.....Once took a Braunston boat to Warwick, Stratford on Avon, Tewkesbury, Worcester, Birmingham, Fazeley, Coventy (including the arm) Braunston.......Canalplan AC says it takes 12 days at 9 hours per day.......We did it on a week's hire with a crew of 5......

Canalplan says your trip will take 13 days at 9 hours per day......Childsplay.....

 

Have just checked the log and found the following were the overnight stops......

 

Day 1: Birdingbury Wharf. distance is 8 miles, 4½ flg and 3 locks. This will take 3 hours, 10 minutes

 

Day 2: Wootten Wawen. distance is 24 miles, 4 flg and 60 locks. This will take 19 hours, 14 minutes .....

 

Day 3: Wyre Piddle. distance is 34 miles, 6 flg and 38 locks. This will take 17 hours, 30 minutes ....

 

Day 4: Tibberton. distance is 42 miles, 1¼ flg and 22 locks. This will take 16 hours, 43 minutes .....

 

Day 5: Gas Street Basin. distance is 27 miles, 5¾ flg and 42 locks. This will take 16 hours, 52 minutes

 

Day 6: Coventry Basin. Total distance is 42 miles, 5½ flg and 52 locks. This will take 24 hours, 52 minutes

 

Day 7: Braunston. (in fact we arrived back early so carried on through the locks and tunnel and overnighted at Buckby Top and still had a short day).......Total distance is 33 miles, ¾ flg and 10 locks. This will take 14 hours, 35 minutes

 

This just proves you can trim time from those given on Canalplan AC.......25 hours Gas St to Coventry?????

Edited May 12, 2007 by Hairy-Neil

[Moley]

I'm sorry, but I really can't believe Janet's luck (or lack of) with the weather.

March was mild, Easter has never been so hot, best April since records began, then Janet's hols.

 

Messages begin, yesterday 10pm:

"Moored in Brighouse basin with strawberries & Cava to celebrate. Guess what? It's piddling down! Short day to Aspley basin tomorrow, so now off to pub to get Snibbled!"

 

... and Midnight:

"So far sampled Old Peculiar, (tut tut Janet ) Nettle Thrasher & Pedigree. Pedigree wins on points. Now, where did we leave our boat?"

[Moley]

Mole: Do you want me to relay to forum?

 

Janet, Sunday 7pm:

“Yes, let CW know. You can also let them know it's piddling down even more than yesterday! Currently moored Aspley Basin on Huddersfield Broad Canal. Grounded three times so far! Very shallow near bank in places. Prop fouled with a pair of old trousers - lost steering, but all sorted OK. Dinner cooking, wine just reached room temperature. Early night tonight, as we need to start at first light. BW need to do maintenance but will wait for us to go through.

 

Mole, 8pm:

Sorry, spoke 2soon (I had previously said it was grey but dry here). Dry 1st thing but then most of country had inch of rain. It's been “Yuk, look at it now, poor Janet”. Sunny spells 2moro, rain back Tues. Sounds like you need it 4 levels though. Enjoy yr dinner & wine”.

 

Janet, 8:20pm:

This morning was fabulous. RJ had a lie-in while I enjoyed the sunshine. The rain only started a few hours after we set off, but turned into a deluge about 3, and hasn't stopped since! Dinner of pork chops and Shiraz and now relaxing. Although we have an early start, we can't sleep before it gets dark! Backgammon it is then!”

 

 

So, anyone know of any online maps to follow where they are going? (I haven't got Nicholson book 5).

Any messages to send back?

[Sir Nibble]

now off to pub to get Snibbled!"

Rant rant, moan, complain, winge winge.

Backgammon it is then!”

Why not stay in and get Nobbered?

[Moley]

Monday, 10:30pm

Message received & understood. We'll get nobbered instead. Apologies for taking Snibble's name in vain! I'm assuming that getting nobbered was an instruction? I knows my place. I'll do as I'm told! Currently moored at lock 32E, waiting for passage through tunnel Weds morning. Throwing it down all day, but turned into a lovely afternoon & evening. Had nice drink with people on another boat also waiting. Just had dinner & lovely bottle of Chal en Oeuf from Morrisons. Rather nice for a fiver a bottle & donation to RSPCA. Couldn't afford the real thing! That's saved for tomorrow. Long lie in tomorrow as can't get through next lock til BW take us through. More wine then? Janet x

 

Now if you understand that lot, would you please translate. Chal en Oeuf? RSPCA?

 

Where are they? What tunnel? What's the hold-up?

 

 

edit: so that would be Pig Tail Lock on the Huddersfield Narrow, heading for Standedge.

http://www.jim-shead.com/waterways/Inland-...of-England.html

Edited May 15, 2007 by Moley