Winter on the Shroppie

During our first winter as continuous cruisers, we have spent the last 38 days on the southern section of the Shropshire Union Canal. All 17 miles of it available to us because of winter closures. We have moved up and down, and up and down, stopping at Brewood (lovely butchers), Wheaton Aston,(sanitary station out of order most of the time), Gnosall (lovely butchers) and Norbury. We have also managed to find plentiful supplies of wood to feed the stove to keep us nice and warm. I would like to think that we have complied with the rules, and, more or less, I honestly beleive that we have. We have thoroughly enjoyed the villages, the local shops, and their inhabitants, and last night, we had the pleasure of looking at the Christmas lights displayed in Haughton. They were absolutely fantastic and raise a lot of money for charity. But, all good things must come to an end and we are now heading south on the Shroppie towards the Staffs and Worcs to Stafford. From there we will head over towards Tamworth and then who knows where? All in all, our first experience of continuous cruising is going well. Other continuous cruisers seem to be very friendly and willing to offer advice. What a lovely community and one I feel honoured to be part of! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Winter maintenance...

One thing that I have noticed about the Shroppie is the standard of maintenance. I appreciate it was built later than some canals, but, most of the bridges seem to be in good condition and there is a reasonable depth of water in the canal. It has its problems with cuttings and embankments which will always cause problems... The main point of this latest blog though is that the Shroppie where I am cruising has just benefitted from the annual hedge to edge trim. I have first hand experience of this as one side of my boat IS COVERED IN A NICE SELECTION OF GRASS CUTTINGS, LEAVES AND MUD!!!

The Joys of Winter Cruising.....

The weather is mild, okay, there was a bit of a frost the other night and today was a little bit damp, but, the colours of the leaves on the trees up the Shroppie are a joy to behold. Add to this, no queues at the locks and plenty of space to moor even in the usually most popular places. If my memory serves me right, we only passed one boat on the move today. Every season has its moments and winter certainly has its fair share.

Winter is coming....

Well, the boat has been into a boatyard, the old Kabola Diesel heater has been removed and replaced by a brand new Morso Squirrel. And what a difference, the diesel heater was old and was not really controllable, the Squirrel is new and very controllable. We are now entering into our first 'real' winter afloat, we have lived on the boat for several years throughout the winter but always with a home mooring. We are now going to be genuine continuous cruisers. Currently, we are at Compton on the Staffs and Worcs. Been heer a couple of days and moving off tomorrow up the Shroppie. Probably go as far as Brewood, then on to Wheaton Aston and then Gnosall. So far so good. Presently having to rely mainly on coal for heating,apart from not having seen much 'free' wood,seen a bit on the non towpath side of the canal but who owns it? The chainsaw is still down south in the hands of my son and until I can get it back to the boat there is not a great deal I can do with fallen timber. Trying to cut it up with a bow saw just does not seem to be quite the same as using the chainsaw! Anyway, at the moment we are plenty warm enough and I have a long list of jobs that accumulated over the summer months that now need sorting over the winter months.... Speak to you soon...

Kingfishers....

It only seems a little while ago that we had a severe winter and the Kingfisher population was decimated as a result.... However, nature is a wonderful thing, and kingfishers seem to be thriving again. We see them every day now, sometimes several in a day, in such diverse places as Rugby, Nuneaton and Atherstone!! The difference though is that they seem to be much more people friendly, the other day one stayed on the branch as we passed by only 6 feet away, then there was the one that posed on the tiller of a moored boat as we passed, why oh why don't I have the camera ready for such shots....

A new beginning.....

The summer is now over, autumn is with us, it is the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Soon it will be winter - where has this last year gone? After spending the summer in London doing voluntary work, we left Little Venice on the 10th September and cruised to Limehouse. Next day we exited Limehouse onto the tidal Thames at 0630 on a beautiful sunny morning and had a very nice cruise up to Teddington. After paying a small fortune for a Thames licence we set about cruising the non tidal river, hoping to go as far as Lechlade before going back onto the Oxford Canal an then back to the Midlands to spent the winter continuous cruising. We are now proper liveaboards again - our circumstances have changed and we have always wanted to do at least one winter continuous cruising. The weather had other ideas though..... we got as far as Abingdon and the Thames went into flood, red boards everywhere, we were stuck in Abingdon for five days. When we could eventually move again the lock keeper at Kings Lock advised that we get back onto the canal as soon as possible as more rain was forecast and he reckoned the red boards would be back the next weekend.... and he was right! So, we got back onto the canals..... and guess what, the River Cherwell went into flood as well and we had to stay put on the Oxford Canal for a couple of days! We are now past the river sections and are gently cruising northwards again without any worries. We have checked the winter stoppage lists and know roughly where and when we will be going. I shall not be writing my 'new' blog everyday, but, only on those days that I have something interesting to say or something to show you.

LONDON OLYMPICS 2012

This is Brownings Pool on the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal at Little Venice in London. This is to be my 'home' for the next ten weeks.  One of the houses in the background is valued at £5 million......!!!

I am here working voluntarily for the IWA on behalf of  C&RT to manage the western checkpoint on the exclusion zone imposed by the security services (note - imposed by the security services - not BW). It is our job to scrutinize all the boats that want to enter the exclusion zone to ensure that they have the right permits etc. before they proceed into the zone.  We have an 'office', kindly supplied by Black Prince Narrowboats.

At the end, which is 9th September, the IWA will benefit from a payment from C&RT similar to the  profits from recent 'Nationals'.  Other festival stalwarts are manning the eastern checkpoint and are mooring managers for the moorings let by C&RT for boaters attending the Olympics.

Whilst we have been in position for a few days (the exclusion zone came into force on 3rd July) our work starts tomorrow when several boats, moored on the transit moorings at Little Venice, check in at 0800 hrs, receive their paperwork, and then begin their journey from LV, down to Commercial Road Lock and into Limehouse Basin  for the night, before setting off up the Limehouse Cut at 0600 hrs onto the River Lee and then past the Olympic Stadium.  They may well be subjected to checks from armed police and sniffer dogs before starting their journey past the stadium..  They will not be able to stop on route until they have passed the eastern checkpoint situated at Lea Bridge on the River Lee.  Passacge past the Olympic site is only allowed between 0600 hrs and 0900 hrs, and 1900 hrs to 2100 hrs and is subject to immediate suspension dependant on the security state.

This system will continue for the next ten weeks to take in the Paralympics as well.   All passages have to be pre-booked, basically NO PERMIT - NO ENTRY.   If you do try and enter the exclusion zone without authority I have no doubt that you will receive a very quick visit from the local SWAT team!!!

The Grand Union

Where do I start?   I must have been quite naive to think things would improve as I got closer to London!!  British Waterways have obviously got it wrong and are guilty of gross mis-management of the canal system.  Yes, admittedly, more and more boats are licensed.  I would go as far to say that in the  last two weeks the number of unlicensed boats on the Grand Union could be counted on two hands.   BUT, and it is a big but, the continuous moorers, who only pay a licence fee to BW,  are breeding like rats.  Cruising down the Grand Union we came to Marsworth, we managed to find a mooring,. just!  SO many boats obviously lived on and continuously moored.  On to Bulbourne, and the same again.   Tonight we are moored at Berkhamstead and once again the place is littered with continuous moorers.   Why, oh why don't BW do something about it.  There is a source of revenue here.... I would not mind if they moored in the middle of nowhere but they don't!  The time has come for BW or C&RT as it will become, to seriously look at the way they charge boaters.   Maybe the time has come when all boaters are charged a fix amount per foot of length, regardless of where they cruise or moor,  and discounts are available for those who moor in marinas, those with official online moorings,  and those who can prove that they do actually continuously cruise.  

Due to personal circumstances, I have not been able to cruise the canal system much for the last five years, and it has changed so  much during that time.  I never cruise fast and always slow down to pass moored boats, BUT, there are so many moored boats now (you virtually have to run on tickover between Leighton Buzzard and Berkhamstead in my experience so far!!) that I pass moored boats at 200 revs more than I used to otherwise I would not ever get anywhere!!

Life without a dongle......

A few days ago, while rigging up my dongle on its 3 metre extension cable I managed to drop it into the canal.  Needless to say, it did not float!!   So, I have been dongle-less for the last few days and have therefore had no access (or limited access through my mobile) to the internet.

Today we are near Uxbridge so I took the bus (thank you for my bus pass) into Uxbridge where they have a T mobile store, the original supplier of my dongle.  Various questions were asked, to which I did not have the answers, various sums were mentioned, £10 for this, £10 for that etc.  Name (I could manage that one) plus address...   OH, you have been with us since 2006 using the same dongle.... you are eligible for a free upgrade.....

I am now the proud owner of a wireless router on board..... which will operate up to five devices at a time.....  Jenny is really happy, she can now play her games whilst I do my bits.....

What a glorious day, weatherwise.  Tomorrow it is on to Little Venice.

The situation with continuous moorers does not get better the closer you get to London, BW are clearly guilty of gross misconduct in the way that they have managed?? the moorings  problem over the last few years.......   Let's hope CRT get it right,......   but don't hold your breath!!

How quiet are the canals......

We have been cruising for just over a week and certain things seem to be noticeable.  We have arrived at what I consider to be a prime mooring site to find there is still space.  Where have all the boats gone?  This afternoon we arrived at Stoke Bruerne, just before 3 p.m. and found a prime mooring.  We did the same on Friday afternoon and again on Saturday afternoon (we never moved on Sunday - time for a day off!!)

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SPACE FOR OTHER MOORERS....!!

So, where have all the boats gone, during the last few days we have passed very few boats on the move, although we have seen many more boats moored up.   Are we now at the stage where continuous 'moorers' outnumber continuous cruisers?

I appreciate that we have been off of the cut for the last five years, apart from the odd trip,  but things do seem to be changing and not necessarily for the better.

I shall reserve judgement and see how the situation improves, or not, as I get closer to my destination - London!!

LIVEABOARD AGAIN.....

It has been a while (5 years in fact) since we have classed ourselves as true liveaboards, but, as from last Thursday, that is what we are!   The house is sold (okay, I admit - it is only subject to contract) and we then went through the process (for the second time) of emptying the contents of a house into a narrowboat.  Numerous trips to the tip, charity shops and ebay and  we are now on board.  We left Hopwas last Thursday and went as far as Curdworth, where the lads took over the boat for their 'annual cruise' into Birmingham.  They then took the boat down the North Stratford and through Hatton 21 and moored in the Saltisford Arm, where we took over the boat on Sunday afternoon.

What a lovely place the Saltisford Arm is..... close to Sainsburys and Warwick town centre, free mooring for the first night and only £4 per night after.... very reasonable.

On Wednesday we cast off and set off on the next stage of our life.  We found our favourite mooring in the middle of nowhere at the bottom of Bascote Locks that evening (just enough space for a 70 footer) although the Canada geese we displaced were not too happy.

Next day it was on down the GU to Calcutt and turn towards Braunston to another of our favourite moorings in the middle of nowhere around about bridge 100.

Today saw us into Braunston, a prime mooring by the bridge where the footpath runs up to the village where we topped up the supplies.  Then on to Buckby top lock where we found another good mooring.

As for tomorrow.... let's just see what the weather does, it is forecast to be a bit grim!!

NUNEATON IN THE SUNSHINE

It has been a very busy few days, driving to London on Thursday with all the gear for Cavalcade then back to the boat on Friday, then another busy day on Saturday with our annual 'day trip' involving our own boat and two day hire boats on the Ashby Canal. This is an annual event and involves people of all ages ranging from 3 years old to 86 years old, a trip up the Ashby from Stoke Golding to Market Bosworth and return followed by a BBQ and sing song (okay then - karaoke!!) back at the local home of the organisers. A long day cruising today, seven and a half hours, (long by our normal four hours a day cruising) as I had to get back close to home as it is off to London in the van again tomorrow to pick up all the gear I took down on Thursday!

And back to Nuneaton, the sun shone as we passed through today but, unfortunately, Nuneaton looks no better in the sunshine than it does in the rain.  Why is it that some towns make a showpiece of their canal frontage whilst others totally ignore the canal?



A BIT BETTER WEATHER TODAY.....

At least it was dry although the temperature was nowhere as high as it should be...  Short trip today, Hinckley to Sutton Cheney, a journey of all of six miles!   We will be here for a couple of days as I picked up a hire van this afternoon, drove over to Barton Turns where Jenny and I loaded the van with all the gear needed to stage Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice.

An early start for me tomorrow, get up, coffee and drive the van to London, back on Friday so no blog tomorrow.

WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN IN NUNEATON??

Hartshill.... a nice mooring, so long as the wind is blowing in the right direction.... if not, the smell from the dog food processing factory can be a bit overpowering.  Winter moorings available from 1st November to 31at March (2011/2012) although the only facility nearby is water...... however, the bus service is good...  Stagecoach service Number 48 has a 20 minute service to either Atherstone or Nuneaton up till around 5 o'clock.  If you  choose the Nuneaton option it is only 2 minutes walk to ASDA.  The fare is only £3.50 return if you are lucky enough to be under the bus pass age.

Nuneaton itself remains much the same, if there was an award for the most depressing, rubbish strewn stretch of canal in the country, Nuneaton remains my number one!  Leamington Spa was not much better, but, in all fairness, I have not been to Leamington for a while, it may have improved, however, Nuneaton has not improved and in the rain today it was even worse.

What always amazes me though is, that, as soon as you turn off of the Coventry on to the Ashby at Marston Junction, you are immediately transported into a rural landscape that is little troubled by built up areas.

We will be up here for a few days before we return to reality.

A LONG DAY - BY OUR STANDARDS

As you will see, we did not set out on our cruise yesterday because of the weather.  However, this morning was a totally different situation.  We were on our way by 0830 hrs....  a brief stop at Fazeley to post a couple of birthday card and to get a paper, no queue at Glascote - that must be a first for years!!

Then, we arrived at Atherstone Locks......  there was a stoppage.... there was too much water on the flight and the towpath was flooding...!!  How can you have too  much water when we are in the middle of a drought?????

BW were out in force and after a short delay (we were held up for only 30 minutes - apparently boats at the top of the flight had been waiting for up to 3 hours) we were on our way.  It was one of our easiest passages up the flight, BW were everywhere trying to help, and boats were coming down so we had an easy life for once...

It had been our intention to stop at Atherstone but there was no room, so on to Hartshill where there was plenty of room.  Tomorrow we will catch a bus into Nuneaton to buy a couple of bits and peices we forgot to stock up on - the bus stop is right by the canl bridge at Hartshill and the bus takes you to within 100 yards of ASDA in Nuneaton....

A long day by our standards, eight hours cruising, 13 locks and 16 miles..... tomorrow will be a lot easier!!

TO CRUISE OR NOT TO CRUISE.....!!

Having spent the last two days getting the boat ready to cruise, today was the day we were due to set off for a little wander up the Ashby Canal.  The weather forecast for today was bad..... heavy rain and strong winds, and, sure enough, for once the forecasters were right.    However, everything was on the boat ready to cruise, all the food had been loaded etc.   so what to do?   Discretion (i.e. THE WIFE) prevailed and we moved on to the boat and spent the rest of the day and evening on the boat at the bottom of the garden!!   The winds have now died down but it is still raining and cold, so in the end we made the right decision.  The forecast for tomorrow is much better so up early and make an early start. That's the plan anyway....

Rain, rain and more rain

They really should have declared a drought earlier in the West Midlands! On the news yesterday it said that the West Midlands was now suffering from a drought........ and ever since it has not stopped raining with more forecast for the next four days.....

Time to ponder.....

Had to go to another funeral today..... another fellow boater (and close friend) has gone to the great boatyard in the sky.... R.I.P. Andy, his boat will up for sale in the future, his widow will be unable to manage it on her own. The family, however, have plans, n.b. SORREL will have a final trip, before being sold. Friends and family will be invited for its 'final' cruise. Whatever happens I will make sure I am on that cruise!

Meanwhile, our plans continue, the house is still for sell, there has been some interest but no firm offers yet, however, our plans are now made. As from the beginning of June, the contents of the house will be sold, the house will be empty, in the hands of the estate agent, and we will set sail again on GUELROSE, hopefully heading for London and the Olympics, and then who knows where....? There are so many places we want to visit again (70 feet permitting!!) - initial plans suggest CCers for a couple of years, and don't, just don't get me started on extra charges for CCers.... In my opinion there are genuine CCers and then there are people who live on boats as compared to houses, and the two are most definitely different.

Before that, we still have a cruise up the Ashby planned for May with some close friends.... hopefully water supply will not be a problem there....

It is a sad day, our two cruising companions, LEWIS and ALFIE, are no longer with us. Thank you 'boys', for a wonderful 15 years, R.I.P.

Planning ahead

It will soon be time to prepare n.b. GUELROSE for cruising...... all being well we will set off around the end of April for our annual 'day trip' where we meet up with friends who have hired day boats on the Ashby Canal, whilst we are away I will have to programme in van hire to transport all the bits and pieces that need to go from Barton Turns to Little Venice for Canalway Cavalcade, then back 'home' for a few days before we have to take the boat to Curdworth so our son and his mates can have a few days on the boat taking it into Birmingham and down to Warwick where we shall take it over again. Then, it will be down to London, water levels permitting, where I, with others, will be managing boats attending the Olympics, on berhalf of BW, and hopefully earning some much needed revenue for the IWA. Once we set off, I will publish regular blogs and photographs of our travels.

Back on line.......

I have not been able to access my blog for months...... and, as I am due to start serious crusing again in May this year I thought it would be useful to start blogging again.

Guess what, the access problem was all my own fault, I was using the wrong account to log into blogger. Doh!!!!!

Anyway, watch this space.... a little cruise up the Ashby Canal in May, then at the beginning of June I am setting off for London and the Olympics (where I will hopefully be able to report every couple of days), that is, if we have plenty of rain and fill the resevoirs on either the Grand Union or South Oxford Canals.