Canal trip 2018/19

Here we go again     July 2018

Two more years on the Canal... By David Johnson

First two weeks:    Saturday 28th July to Sunday 12th August 2018

Day Dream

58 feet long and 6 feet 10 inches wide

It`s just under four years when I sold my previous narrowboat called Annabel. I was quite sad when she went and I decided that in a couple of years I would have another one. Anyway, it`s now four years...

I visited Daventry and looked at boats at Wilton Marine, Braunston  Marina and ABNA boat brokers.. I did like a narrowboat called Daydream at ABNA, so made an offer and arranged for a survey which is being carried out on 2^nd July 2018...

On the 2nd July, the day of the survey the surveyor rang me and told me there was the usual pitting on the sides of the hull, plus some other things that needed doing. Also, the hull needed blacking. All in all, it all sounded a bit depressing, but I expected to feel like that. I then waited for the full survey to be sent which arrived online the next day.

I decided to pay another visit to the marina and see the boat again and check out the recommendations again, before making a final decision. After spending more time on the boat I decided to buy Daydream. I took out insurance for £211 pounds to start on 23^rd July 2018 and paid the remaining money on the 14^th July and also signed the contract and returned it to ABNA brokers.

I took out a licence with the Canal Trust, costing £919, bought a new starter battery and had the leisure batteries charged... All ready to go on the 28^{th of} July and begin using the boat.

The big day arrived (Sat July 28^{th 2018}) and Danielle and I drove to Crick to collect Daydream, carrying lots of luggage and useful items. After heat and sunshine, the weather had changed. It was drizzly and windy. Everything was loaded onto the boat and Paul from ANBN went through the boat, which was a little more complicated than Annabel. That night we stayed in the marina but by the next day in the afternoon, we left. We had been advised not to go north as many of the canals were closed due to lack of water. I decided to stay in the Midlands. Headed through Crick Tunnel and passed three boats in the darkness. It took 15 minutes and was eerie. Eventually came to Watford locks. There were seven staircase locks going down and a volunteer lock keeper who helped Danielle and showed her what to do. After the locks chugged along the canal until we reached the junction where we made a right turn along the Grand Union towards Braunston. Went straight through the Braunston Tunnel and moored up above the seven locks. The weather was hot and humid and it made us both rather tired.

I still could not get the engine to make hot water so no one could shower.  I could not work out why. The next day rang ABNB and they contacted the previous owner who said there should be a circulation symbol on the Albe  ( the comfort boiler )  After trying many times I succeeded and generated hot water. I was elated. Later navigated down the seven locks with another boat. The owners had lived on their boat and had sold their house and had plied the canal for six years. They had so much knowledge. I stopped the boat and bought 88 litres of diesel at Braunston and paid approximately £1 per litre. We moored Daydream on a fourteen-day mooring at Braunston. In the afternoon I cycled back to Crick and brought the car to Braunston and parked it near the boat.

The next day after a trip in the car to Tesco I left the mooring took the Oxford Canal towards Rugby and after two hours stopped at Hilmorton Locks and took on some water and then tied up on a fourteen-day mooring area. There were two very helpful volunteer lock keepers who gave us a lot of information about Rugby and the canal.

The next day we travelled to Rugby by bus and saw the school and the rugby museum, then returned to the boat by bus. I then cycled to Braunston along a difficult towpath to collect the car. As I forgot the sat nav I found my way back to Hillmorton and the boat by car and memory, parked the car and cycled back to the boat.

The Rugby Museum

Thursday 2nd August 2018

Motored along the North Oxford canal for 17 miles and tied up on a 7-day mooring at Hawkesbury Junction. There were no locks on this stretch. The next day, Friday I cycled back to Hillmorton along the towpath and collected the car. Glad I had sat nav for driving back to Hawkesbury.  The whole journey took 3 hours from start to finish. Decide to stay on this bank mooring until Monday or Tuesday. 
Drove to Christchurch for the weekend to attend a party organised by Danielle`s son and his girlfriend.

The well known Rugby School where the sport
of Rugby began and the novel `Tom Brown`s
School Days` was based ..Thomas Arnold was
the Headmaster 1828 to 1841 and was born in
Cowes, Isle of Wight

Returned to Hawkesbury Junction on Monday and found the boat in order. Left the mooring and headed to Coventry Basin. It was about 6 miles of cruising... An interesting place, very tidy and organised, but seemed full up with moored craft, but in the centre of Coventry. The proprietor of Valley Cruises, a hire company allowed the boat to stay in their area as most of their boats were hired out and weren`t expected back until late on Thursday. There are many friendly helpful people on the canal.

On Wednesday Danielle and I walked into Coventry and visited the Transport Museum and the Cathedral. Both were extremely interesting. It was very hot and we considered Coventry to be a very pleasant city. 
                                    

The old Coventry Cathedral, bombed in 1940 and left
without a roof and now joins the new cathedral

A bus in the Coventry Transport Museum in Coventry

     

In the late afternoon returned to Hawkesbury Junction from Coventry Basin and spent the night moored to the bank, then left in the morning early on Thursday and headed towards Atherstone on the Coventry Canal. Stopped just before the locks and cycled ahead to try to find a place to moor up for 14 nights and go home.

 I spoke to the local volunteer lock keeper who said a place was in the pound between locks 7 and 8 and might be good. I cycled there and it seemed excellent.

On returning to the boat I cycled the 10miles back to Hawkesbury Junction and drove the car to Atherstone and left it in a side road near the canal and returned to the boat where Danielle was fretting because of I had been so long...

Danielle in the lounge on Daydream

       

 On the 10^th August, I got up early and motored to the 1^st of 11 locks going downhill and tied up in the Pound between 5 and 6 where you can stay for 48 hours. I decided to find another place to leave Daydream for two weeks rather than in the Pound between locks 7 and 8 as she would be completely isolated. I found a place further along the canal near bridge 48 where I could load the car and go home. There were other boats there and the canal bank was suitable. So tomorrow, Saturday I will do the remaining 6 locks and head towards the place I have in mind.

On Saturday as planned left early and did the 6 remaining locks then motored to bridge? Fetched the car from Atherstone Town and parked by bridge48 loaded some luggage and all set to leave for Southampton tomorrow Sunday 12^th August.

Had started the two weeks on the Grand Union (Leicester Section), then the North Oxford Canal. Now on the Coventry Canal heading for Tamworth at bridge 48. The number of miles covered was about 55miles and the engine hours about 32...

I returned to the canal after two weeks back home: 

Saturday 25th August to  Saturday 8th September 2018

I left Southampton on the 2.20pm coach for Nuneaton. After arriving after dark found my way to the railway station but there were no trains, although the internet told me there were. So I caught a taxi all the way to where I had left the boat... Great, it was still there untouched so went aboard, made some tea then went to bed.

The next day, Bank holiday Sunday it rained most of the time. When it had eased off I cycled to Atherstone to buy groceries. There was an annual 6 mile run taking place so I watched the start and was amazed at the support an event like this gets. After getting back to the boat I put some pictures and horse brasses on the cabin walls. When the rain eased I started the engine and headed towards Polesworth. It was good to be on the move again.

After a good night`s sleep, the next day headed towards Tamworth. Stopped at Alvecote where a Canal Festival was taking place. It was all very colourful but mainly consisted of drinking alcohol and talking. I stopped to buy a cylinder of gas and get a pump-out, but they were closed because it was Bank holiday Monday.

Carried on to Tamworth and stopped by bridge 73 where I cycled to the castle grounds in Tamworth where I listened to a brass band and watched a fete while chatting to Rob whose boat turned out to be moored behind mine. He continually cruised and preferred living on a narrowboat to life in a house. After talking about TVs I got mine to work for the first time.

Tuesday 28th August 2018
Left early and soon reached Fazley Junction where I turned left onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. Stopped at Fazley Mill Marina and had a pump out (£16.50) and bought a cylinder of gas (£27.25) After a long talk with another boater ( that`s what people do on the canal...TALK ) I backed the boat out of the marina entrance and carried on and went through eleven single locks. Moored up at Curdworth and ate some food and drank some tea.

I have to pick up Malcolm and Danielle on Monday at Birmingham Coach Station so I decided to take the bike and find the best place to wait. I took a look at Borslea Junction which is close to the coach station, but the area was awful with graffiti everywhere and strange people hanging around. It made me nervous and wouldn`t leave the boat for half an hour there. On the way, I met a young man who had caught a pike and he was trying to remove the hook. The Pike had bitten him badly. A pike is one of the few freshwater fish with teeth. I lent him a tool and the hook was soon out. He put the fish back in the water although they are good to cook and eat...I later took the boat to Cuckoo Wharf where I spent the night and had a long chat with Ian in the boat in front of me. He was another liveaboard and was full of knowledge and tips.

The next day I moved along the canal to Aston Business Park where I moored up. A perfect mooring where you stay for up to fourteen days and there are night lights and cameras. I cycled to the Basin in Birmingham, called Cambrian Wharf where I had a long talk with a knowledgeable man who was a professional money raiser for the canal trust. He told me great detail about the Basin and its history and where the moorings were. The charity money raisers want a direct debit and monthly amount donated. They haven`t got a tin. that you can put 50p in anymore. Charity money-raising is a big business now...Walked from there to the Coach Station and it took me half an hour. I was surprised at the buildings and infrastructure projects taking place in Birmingham. Also, the number of beggars asking for money. It`s always a dilemma whether to give or not to give.

I knew I had 24 locks to pass through to reach Birmingham Basin and I wasn`t looking forward to it. I made a start and became energised and went straight up, but I got quite a lot of help from volunteer lock keepers. The second 13 locks were amazing with the canal passing under buildings and through tunnels. By about 4pm I had finished and reached the top. I cruised and found a mooring where I will stay until Danielle and Malcolm arrive on Monday.

On Saturday just tidied the boat and swept the floor and did a bit of shopping. In the afternoon cycled along the towpath to Tipton, then back again.

On Sunday 2nd September caught a bus to Wolverhampton. Wondered around the town then caught the bus back to Birmingham. The boat was tied up in Birmingham for over two days waiting for my guests.


On Monday I was due to meet Danielle and Malcolm at Birmingham Coach Station so I tidied up the boat then later walked towards the bus station via New Street and the Bull Ring. There was much building work taking place, I believe Birmingham is hosting the Commonwealth Games so they are making it more presentable and spending lots of money. I met Danielle and Malcolm and then had to drag a heavy suitcase across town for 30 minutes.

The next day we headed towards Wolverhampton along the Birmingham mainline canal. There are so many canals and branches in Birmingham that it exceeds Venice in canals. I was told that at its peak there were many more miles of canal in England, but there are only 2000 miles left. We passed through three locks then diverted to the Black Country Museum at Tipton where we spent the night. It was too expensive for us three to visit the museum £45 concessionary. so the next day we left.

Got back onto the mainline fairly early. The water was quite clear and we could see the fish and reeds under the water. There were tall grasses either side and it was quite windy and we passed a few boats. As we neared Wolverhampton it got very Urban with graffiti everywhere so we moored for coffee and I cycled ahead to have a look at what lay in front. I found a pleasant place just above Wolverhampton locks where we tied up and spent the night.

I knew the next day we had 21 locks to descend so I wanted to leave early which we did. Malcolm helmed the boat while I operated each lock. I knew Malcolm could helm well because he is an experienced sailor and I`ve had the pleasure of acting crew when he was skipper. The locks seemed never-ending but it was a pleasant day. We got some help from the crew of a hire boat coming down behind us. It took nearly four hours to descend to Aldersley Junction where we turned to starboard onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and moored near Oxley Marine on a 48-hour mooring. I topped up the diesel tank with red diesel costing 75p per litre. As skipper, I awarded Malcolm an extra glass of rum for his helming. In the afternoon we caught a number 6 bus into Wolverhampton and booked a coach home for Saturday. Malcolm booked a train as he had a railcard.

Friday 7th September
Had to think hard about where I would leave the boat for two weeks. I rang the Canal Trust and asked if I could leave her on the 48-hour mooring, The pleasant girl told me the local warden would ring me, but she never did until I got home. I told her I had a cold but had left the boat in a suitable place. I had a look around and consulted people in the know. There are two types on the canal. The boatyard owners seem to talk all doom and gloom and tell you about children untying boats at night, although it probably happened five years ago, whereas some people are highly positive and say it is perfectly safe. I also had a scout around but eventually decided on a place near bridge 1 on the Shropshire Union Canal at Autherley Junction.

The next day we left Daydream and all left for home from Wolverhampton. This fortnight the engine had 23 hours and completed about 50 miles.


After two weeks returned to Daydream that was moored at Autherley Junction .......

 22nd September to 4th October 2018.....

Daydream at bridge 1 after two weeks moored to the bank
(Shropshire Union)

View of Shropshire Union near bridge 1 through the lifebelt
at Autherley Junction

Arrived after long Hovercraft and coach journey and after pulling cases along the towpath found Daydream on her own covered with leaves but untouched. After a while, I cycled to Morrisons which was quite close and bought some groceries.


On Sunday after a slow start filled up with water cleared the boat of leaves. It rained but later the sun came out I walked to Morrisons with Danielle and bought more supplies. Later left and motored for an hour and stopped between bridge 7 (Hunting Bridge) and bridge 8 (Park Bridge). Managed to get a good TV picture, but the Wi-Fi dongle didn`t work as it got covered with shampoo as a bottle had burst in the luggage bag.

The village of Brewood from the canal

On Monday left at 10 am and motored in the sunshine under numerous bridges. Passed the village of Brewood then at Wheaton Ashton there was one lock where we stopped for coffee. Later carried on along the Shropshire Union Canal and eventually reached Gnosal and moored outside The Boat Inn.

There were many Herons looking for fish. The big ones looked
like Pterodactyls when in flight

The next day we left Gnosal and leisurely motored along in the hot sun and reached Norbury Junction which is a pretty canal junction. Danielle and I walked to the canal shop and talked to the proprietor about batteries and hot water ( I still didn`t understand why the hot water wasn`t being produced by the engine) He agreed to test the batteries if I brought the boat over in the morning. Later I cycled to Newport (Shropshire) to Aldi and bought some wine and we invited Geoff and Jean ( from another narrowboat) for drinks in the evening.

Cowley tunnel at Gnosel cut out of sandstone rock and
unsupported by brick.

Moored outside the Boat Inn at Gnosel

At 10am on Wednesday took the boat into the marina for the engineer to test the batteries. The batteries proved to be in good order but the alternator wasn`t producing the voltage to keep the leisure batteries fully charged. (this turned out to be wrong) He suggested I contact River Rescue where I have spare parts cover. I did but they were unhelpful. Later I left Norbury Junction and headed to Market Drayton and descended the five locks and moored close to the town.

The lounge on Daydream

The next day stayed put at Market Drayton and helped a hire boat that had broken down. They had no gas and electricity and the skipper couldn`t even have his morning cup of tea and couldn`t even charge his phone. I phoned the hiring company on his behalf who agreed to send an engineer for them.

Danielle

Later walked into the town and tried to sort out the broken dongle in a phone shop. It was too badly damaged and I ended up buying a new iPad which took my sim card, which proved to be very good.
Afterwards caught the bus to Shrewsbury and walked around the town in the beautiful late September sunshine.

Daydream from the bridge at Gnosel

The far boat is Daydream at Norbury Junction

Market Drayton

A World War 2 pillbox at Market Drayton by the canal. Now a historic building.

Friday 28th September 2018
The boat needed another pump out. and I spotted a Canal Trust building with the pump out equipment. I needed a special card which I didn`t have, However, I managed to buy one at Tyler boatyard close by and paid £16. I had to turn the boat around as the hose would not reach. Everything worked and afterwards filled I the water tank, then returned to my mooring of the previous night. All this took most of the morning but in the afternoon walked to the wool shop and Asda with Danielle and visited Geoff and Jean in their boat for coffee and chat. They live permanently on their boat, have sold their house, but live in a marina at Audlem most of the time rather than continuously cruise like I do.

Jean and Geoff who lived permanently on their boat, visiting Daydream
for a drink

The next morning Danielle polished the port side of the boat and cleaned the windows. It made a big difference. I had to buy another gas cylinder for £32 from the boatyard. I then left in warm sunshine towards the 5 Adderley locks. It was very quiet with only a few boats on the move. After the locks stopped for lunch, then at about 2.30pm decided to start the 15 Audlem locks as feeling energised. It was hard work but after 3 hours reached lock 12 and moored up for the night.

Canal art known as Roses and Castles

There were another 3 locks to complete the Audlem locks but before leaving had a look at the village and bought a few items in the co-op. After the three locks continued to Nantwich. Stopped and I cycled ahead to find how much room there was for mooring. It wasn`t too bad for moorings and later backed into a space where a good signal existed for the TV.

Single lock filling up with water ready for Daydream
to go downhill

Daydream moored at Nantwich 

On Monday moved a short distance to a difference mooring place in Nantwich and later walked into the town with Danielle, had a look around and had coffee at one of the many cafes in the town. At the bus station caught a bus to Chester. and walked around the shops. On our return to Nantwich, I went for a cycle along the towpath which generally was in good condition.

Daydream at Nantwich

The Trojan Horse

Had started to think about coming back to the Island so needed a safe place to leave the boat secure, not too far from a bus route to Chester where the National Express Coaches operates from. I had booked an e-ticket from Chester to Ryde and rode into Nantwich and printed it in the library.

Danielle pressed against the window insert

The cruising area on the canal had become a little restricted and would be for some time. I had hoped to get to Manchester, but the Middlewich Canal had had a breach and the Canal Trust was in the process of mending the bank. Also, the Llangollen Canal had work starting on one of the locks soon, so that way was going to be blocked into Wales. I found a suitable place near a village called Calverley, but before leaving Nantwich called into a boatyard where I talked to a gas engineer about how the hot water system works on my boat. He told me that I had a boiler similar to a combi boiler and uses gas to heat the water but when the engine is running the heat from the engine takes over from the gas. If the boiler is not switched on with the circulation pump the engine won`t heat the water. It now became clear for the first time how it worked. They didn`t charge me for their time so was impressed and a little richer.

Filled up the water tank and left for Calverley which took about one and a half hours where I moored up for the night.

Daydream nearly ready to be left for two weeks at Calverley

On Wednesday I moved the boat along the bank where I could leave her for two weeks. Got everything safe and secure ready to leave early on Thursday morning. Spoke to a friendly towpath walker called John who said he would keep an eye on Daydream. Nearly all the people you meet on the canal are helpful and friendly and are ready to give you local information. We had covered about 45 miles this time and the engine had run for about 20 hours in total.

On Thursday caught the 6am 84 bus to Chester which nearly didn`t stop for us. At the bus station, the National Express took us to Victoria Coach Station where we changed onto a coach to Southsea where we caught the Hovercraft to Ryde and then a number 4 bus to East Cowes. It was a long day but everything went well.

Thursday 19th October to Saturday 27th October 2018

Returned to Daydream for just over a week this time. I travelled on the Hovercraft and coach overnight and arrived at Chester interchange at 5.30am on Friday morning. Had to wait for the 84 bus to take me to Calverley where I had left the boat.

Daydream chugging along the Shropshire Union Canal
near Chester

Once at Calveley I walked along the dirt track in the dark and along the towpath pulling my holdall and found the boat just as I had left her which is always a relief. I unpacked and organised the boat and by 10am I was ready to start the engine and move towards Chester. It felt good to be on the move again. Daydream passed through several double locks which I hadn`t seen for ages, only single ones. Moored up just passed Tattenhall Marina where I spent the night. I realised I had left my windlass on one of the lock gates. Luckily I had another one but will have to be careful I don`t lose that.

Daydream waiting for a double lock to fill 

Daydream ready to leave the double lock

The next day slept in later than usual and took my time leaving my mooring, but finally departed at 11.30am and moved from bridge 113 to 122. The sun was out and I could feel the heat on my back. Not bad for late October, I thought. Eventually stopped outside what used to be called The Old Trooper pub and went for a bike ride and found a shop and bought some supplies.

On Sunday left my mooring spot at 9.15am and filled up with water at a nearby water point. Once on the move again passed through several double locks and eventually arrive in Chester and tied up very close to the bus interchange. Later walked through the town and admired what I saw.

The tress had started to gain their Autumn tint

On Monday I took a bus to Liverpool via Ellesmere and Birkenhead. Spent the day walking around. Had a cooked breakfast and tea for £2 and visited the Maritime Museum which is focused on Liverpool`s connection with the sea. There were lots to see about WW1 and 2, the Titanic and slavery. I found it very interesting and could have spent longer there. Both ways the bus took me through the Queensway Tunnel (Mersey Tunnel) under the Mersey which is over 2 miles long.

Fallen trees in the canal that had to be avoided

Chester is almost the end of the line. You can take the boat to Ellesmere Port but to get to Manchester the only way is along
the Manchester Ship Canal which involves money and paperwork, so on Tuesday morning I bought some food in the nearby Iceland shop, turned the boat round in the winding hole in Chester watched by several people from the bridge and headed back along the canal. Passed through about 5 locks with another boat and later tied up at Tattenhall again.

Daydream outside the Old Trooper Pub

The next day after a chat with the man in the next boat I left Tattenhall and cruised along the canal. It got quite chilly as the wind increased and I had to put gloves on for the first time. Entered the first lock with another boat. The next lock was Beeston Iron lock and although it looked like a double lock was built too narrow for two boats side by side. So had to go through on my own and when I entered there was no ladder to climb up so couldn`t operate the lock on my own and was stuck on the boat. Luckily there was a boat behind called Sunseeker and one of their crew opened the paddles for me. Later I paired up with Sunseeker and we did the remaining locks together. Most of the remaining boats that were being used were shared ownership craft. They belonged to several people who have bought a share and pay to maintain the boat and keep it in a marina. I had thought these syndicates couldn`t possibly work, but the owners I talked to were having no trouble with members of the syndicate and all said it worked well. Depending on the number in the syndicate each owner had several weeks a year usage. That night I moored back at Calverley as my son Richard and his family were arriving the next day.

Daydream moored in Chester

A double lock with two narrowboats side by side
Daydream on the right and Sunseeker on the left

On Thursday I cleaned the boat from top to bottom. Richard, Sarah and the two children, Eve and Ada arrived about lunchtime. After lunch and a chat, we chugged slowly south towards the entrance to the Llangollen Canal. Both Richard and Sarah helmed the boat and I awarded them extra rum (the rum was a compliment) for their efforts. After turning round in a winding Hole we tied up for the night.

The tunnel under the Mersey that is over 2 miles long.
One desperately needed between the Isle of Wight
and the mainland.

On Friday morning it was raining quite hard but after breakfast we chugged back to Calverley, tied up and we loaded Richard`s car with their luggage. They drove me to Nantwich where I printed my e-ticket in the library and returned me to Daydream and then left. I spent the afternoon preparing the boat to be moored to the bank while I go home. The engine had only done 14 hours in all during my time away.

View of the River Mersey with love locks on the barrier fencing

Eve and Ada on Daydream

Sarah, Eve and Ada having lunch on Daydream

Richard preparing lunch

Sarah at the helm

On Saturday I returned home by bus, coach and hovercraft which all went smoothly but took all day.

Back on the canal for 9 days....... Thursday 15th November to Saturday 24th November 2018 

As there were two of us travelling took the car and drove the 210 miles to where the boat was moored. Arrived at Calverley at about 3pm. The boat was as I had left it 19days before. Because we had taken the car there was much more stuff to transfer to the boat and it took me several journeys along the canal bank. Afterwards, I moved the car to a suitable parking place but we spent the evening getting the boat organised. The evenings are now long, dark and coldish, so I lit the log burner and the boat became hot which pleased Danielle.

A Welsh flag near the Welsh Llangollen Canal. The Welsh
are very keen to display their flag

In the morning motored upstream to a winding hole and turned the boat around and headed for Barbridge and the entrance to the Llangollen Canal. At Barbridge was asked if I could help tow a broken down boat a little way along the bank. His engine was not working and he was pulling his boat along the bank with a rope and he got stuck by a bridge. There are many vulnerable people living on boats, mainly men who live on their own and sometimes get sick. Each area has a canal chaplain who keeps an eye on these people.

Towing another boat with a broken engine at Barbridge

Reached the Llangollen entrance, but had to raise my fenders for the first lock as it was getting narrower and is due for repair in early January which will take three months, so the Llangollen will be cut off. Successfully passed through the first four locks then headed towards Wales in heavy cloud. After another two locks moored up at 4pm for the night.

Notice board at the entrance to the Llangollen Canal

On Saturday left early and passed through the Baddiley Locks and cruised towards bridge 18 which turned out to be a lift bridge. Moored the boat at Wrenbury and cycled back along the towpath towards where we started from on Friday to collect the car. With the help of the satnav arrived at Wrenbury and left it in a layby opposite the Cotton Arms pub. The days were getting colder so had to heat the boat each evening, but later that evening had a meal in the Dusty Miller pub.

The first lock on the Llangollen Canal where fenders have to be raised. It`s gradually
getting narrower and will be soon closed for repair.

Sunday 18th November 2018
There was another lift bridge to pass through at Wrenbury. It is one where you have to stop the traffic on the road to raise the bridge and pass through. Danielle was going to have to operate it so I chose to leave early on Sunday morning before there were too many vehicles to stop. It was just my good luck another boat called Jericho was passing through and they held the bridge open for us...Continued along the canal and went through a few locks, then arrived at a three lock staircase where you have to follow instructions. There were many Gongoozlers (people who watch but don`t help) hanging around watching. Danielle handed over the windlass to a man who was going to operate the paddles. It can be dangerous if a novice lets the water into the lock too quickly, so I took it back as I didn`t know how experienced he was and I did it myself. Eventually reached the village of Whitchurch and moored up in the little basin. Had a walk towards town, but it was too far so returned to the boat and lit the log burner.

The car was left in various places then I had to cycle
back and drive it to a new location.

On Monday turned the boat around in the Whitchurch winding hole and left the basin and proceeded along the canal. There were no locks for 14miles. The weather was cold, but the scenery was beautiful. Purchase some diesel at Whitchurch Marina and paid 95p per litre, but had to make a declaration it was for domestic purposes. Helmed for 6 hours with a short break and passed several large lakes called Meres near Ellesmere and moored up close to Tescos and spent a long evening on the boat.

One of the many lift bridges that have to be
wound up with a windlass

On Tuesday the car was still parked in Wrenbury which was about 20 miles along the towpath. So I cycled back to collect it. The towpath was muddy and difficult in places and I had to be careful not to fall into the canal. Left for Wrenbury at 8.30am and arrived there at about 10.45am which wasn`t bad going. It didn`t take long to put the bike rack on the car, load the bike and set the satnav and drive to Tescos at Ellesmere. I asked at Tescos if I could leave the car in their car park for a couple of days and they agreed. By 1pm we had left the mooring and then I stopped at a water point and rubbish disposal point and dumped bags and filled the water tank, then headed towards Chirk. By 4pm it was getting dark so moored up for the night in the wilderness. Danielle was freezing and I was cold so lit the fire, got reception on the TV and it became hot inside the cabin. The gas cylinder ran out so I changed to the spare, there was plenty of hot water so Danielle had a bath and later I had a shower.

The lock staircase with several Gongoozlers just watching

Grindley Brook. Beautiful when the sun shines

Wednesday 21st November 2018
Continued towards Wales and Chirk. Arrived at a lock and there was another boat waiting to go through, but the owner let me go through first and prepared the lock for me. After passing through, suddenly some alarms went off in the ignition area of the Daydream. I pulled in and moored the boat to the bank. I checked the engine compartment and found the fan belt completely broken. I checked my exact location and rang River Rescue and they sent an engineer out from Ellesmere who quickly fitted a new belt and I was on my way. I soon entered the next lock but became stuck.

The narrow fenders which every narrowboat has been jammed. Try as I might I could not pull the fenders up and in the end, I had to cut them which released the boat. I passed through the lock and chattered to a lady from the lock cottage who told me many boats get stuck there. We continued and just before dark moored outside the Poachers Public House.

Had to light the log burner to keep warm

On Thursday Cycled back to Ellesmere along the towpath to get the car from Tesco car park. Daydream and the bike were covered in frost as it was a cold morning and the towpath was slippery. The distance was about 11 miles. On the way had a talk with a canal trust worker about electric bikes. At Tesco bought some artificial logs for the fire. Again soon got back to the Poachers in the car with the help of the sat nav...
Danielle was freezing again, mainly because she`s female and has lived in a hot country so we went into the Poachers pub to keep warm. Met Eddie and his wife who lived in the area and were interesting to talk to. They agreed to keep an eye on Daydream if we leave her on the stretch of the canal outside the Poachers.

Turning the boat in a winding hole at Whitchurch

Friday 23rd November 2018
Headed towards the Chirk Aqueduct and Wales at 9.30am. The canal water was very clear as it`s fed by streams of water and there was a definite flow of water against the boat. Just before Chirk we entered Wales and went straight across the aqueduct I had a talk with Dave who was exercising his dog and walking along the towpath over the aqueduct.

There were many lakes called Meres at Ellesmere

 Daydream then entered the Chirk tunnel which seemed to take ages to pass through due to the flow of water. After another hour we arrived at the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. We must have been 200 feet up and in a narrow trough of water with a towpath on one side and a sheer drop on the other side. Danielle was a bit scared as we slowly crossed. Once across we turned around and went back over the aqueduct and made our way to the Poacher`s Pub again and prepared the boat to leave for a fortnight and return home on Saturday morning.

Leaves in the canal would cut down the speed of the boat.
It was necessary to put the engine in reverse to free the
propeller at times.

An engineer from River Rescue installing a
new fan belt

Inside the Poachers Pocket Pub having a drink with Eddie
and Inez

The Pontsylith Aquaduct. Considered a feat of engineering
For the period it was built

Entering Wales at Chirk

Several times I had to cycle back along the
towpath to get the car

Danielle warming up in the cabin

Chirk Aqueduct with the tunnel behind...It is just inside Wales
at one end with England at the other end.

Looking down at the sheep from the Chirk Aquaduct

On Saturday 24th November 2018 left Daydream and drove back home after leaving the boat secure on a 48hour mooring ( the canal trust allow narrowboat owners to leave their boats for up to 2 weeks on 48-hour moorings after November 3rd )

Engine hours 21

Monday 10th December to Tuesday 18th December 2018

This time travelled to Chirk by train and after arriving walked over Chirk aqueduct and along the towpath for about a mile until I came across Daydream. There is always a feeling of excitement as I approach where I left her knowing she`s around the bend or the other side of a bridge. I found her completely on her own close to the Poacher`s Pocket Pub, but in total order.

The first thing I did was organise the boat by putting everything in place. Grass mats on the roof and took the bike out from the cabin and placed it on top, then unpacked. Soon it was dark, I went for a walk along the towpath then had a coffee in the pub mainly to get warm.

Crossing the Chirk Aqueduct

The next day I started the engine and turned the boat around and headed towards Chirk and Llangollen. I went over Chirk Aqueduct, through Chirk Tunnel, past a howling barking dog then moored the boat by Chirk Marina. It was another 9 miles to Llangollen and the end of the canal so I decided to cycle there. I discovered I had a puncture in the front wheel so mended that first then left. It was very pleasant on the towpath which was in good condition and when I came to the Pontycysylite Aqueduct I went down into the valley and viewed the aqueduct from the River Dee. I then went on to Trevor Basin and Llangollen and the white water of Horseshoe Falls on the River Dee at the end of the canal.

The Chirk Tunnel with a towpath that is difficult
to walk standing up

The Pontycysylite Aqueduct viewed from the River Dee

After a return trip of 18 miles on the bike, it was nearly dark and was getting cold. After food and tea cycled back along the towpath in the dark with a torch to the Poacher`s Pub for coffee and to get warm. Had to pass through the Chirk Tunnel along the towpath, going there and coming back in the dark by pushing the bike through the tunnel. It was very creepy with drips of water from the roof and mysterious splashing sounds from the water.

On Wednesday morning I turned the boat around in the entrance to Chirk Mariner and navigated back towards Ellesmere which was about 12 miles along the canal. There was a slight movement of water in my favour, but I got very cold helming the boat and went into uncontrollable shivers at times. I eventually stopped, filled the water tank and put more layers of clothing on, then passed through two locks. Only passed two boats on the move all day most people are moored up with coal and logs burning or doing their Christmas shopping. At about 3pm reached Ellesmere and moored close to Tesco where I did food shopping and had coffee in a local pub to warm up and save me lighting the fire on Daydream.

View of Llangollen from the canal

On Thursday morning at about 9.30am left Ellesmere and headed towards Whitchurch. It was cold and windy, but I had to get used to it, but thought about summer a lot. Helmed mile on mile but only passed three boats on the move. Had to operate 4 lift bridges which is not easy on your own, but worked out a way of doing it by wedging the boat across the canal so I could use the boat like a bridge to gain access on both sides. Eventually stopped at Whitchurch Marine and bought some diesel, a cylinder of gas and had a pump out. They were pleased to have a customer at this time of year. My bill was expensive but I was glad to have got these things done. I moored for the night at Whitchurch and lit the fire. The cabin was soon hot and I was very comfortable on the boat for the whole evening.

Daydream at Ellesmere

On Friday morning the boat was covered in frost. The warps (ropes) were difficult to handle because they were rigid and difficult to bend. Whilst underway it did not feel as cold as the previous day as there was little wind blowing. That day I had to operate 10 locks including the lock staircase at Grindley Brook. Had some difficulty with this as couldn`t get the levels right. I then discovered a paddle had been left slightly open in the top lock. I had the canal to myself as didn`t pass any boats on the move. The sun was out but so low in the sky, only a little heat could be felt. Arrived at Wrenbury about 3pm. I wanted to go through the lift bridge there, but as the traffic had to be stopped I did not know how I was going to operate the bridge on my own. Suddenly a young man shouted that he would lift the bridge and carried out the operation quickly and efficiently and I was able to take Daydream through without even getting off the boat. On the other side, I moored up and later went into the Dusty Miller Pub for coffee and to get warm.

Canada Geese by the canal

Woke up the next day and found the weather windy with heavy cloud, but set off anyway. The weather forecast kept saying that storm Deirdre was attacking the country. It was cold, but I was happily helming the boat. There was a lift bridge and 8 locks to pass through. First the 3 Baddiley Locks, then the 2 Swanley Locks. Then before leaving the canal, there were the 3 Hursleston Locks. Handling the metal windless and wet ropes chilled my hands so much. Eventually left the Llangollen Canal at Hursleston Junction where I turned to starboard (right) and moored the boat at Nantwich. After changing my wet clothes I walked into town and did some shopping and bought artificial logs for the fire. After returning to the boat I lit the log burner and the interior of the boat became hot and cosy. I just sat in my tee shirt wonderfully warm. A total contrast to the day behind the tiller.

One of several lift bridges on the Llangollen Canal

On Sunday in the early hours, the wind was howling outside. Storm Deirdre had arrived with a vengeance and the boat was rocking at its mooring. Suddenly the wind stopped, the storm had passed over. The next morning the sun was out and I felt cheerful again. I turned the boat around and headed to Barbridge where I could dump some rubbish and tie up. Later I cycled along the Middlewich Canal to have a look at the Breach which had taken 9 months to repair and was nearing completion, It happened earlier this year. The towpath gave way and much of the water escaped from the canal. The Canal Trust blamed it on a boat owner who left a paddle open, but it had cost several millions of pounds to repair. On my bike, I only reached bridge 16 when I decided to turn back because the towpath was so rough and muddy.

Instructions of how to operate the 3 staircase
locks at Grindley Brook

A `Hoarders` boat... All types of people live on the canals

Monday 17th December was a day to get the boat ready to leave the next day. First I cycled to Nantwich and bought some supplies including more logs. I then packed, made sandwiches. vacuumed the boat, and later went to the pub `The Olde Barbridge Inn` and drank coffee, charged my iPad, phone and got warm.

Daydream covered in frost

Daydream going downhill at the end of the Llangollen
Canal in the Hurlestone Locks towards Hurlestone Junction

A typical canal farm bridge, They are all numbered and
have names. There are hundreds and this one is called Halls
Lane Bridge and is on the Llangollen Canal

Early Tuesday at 5.30 am I made my way to the bus stop and caught an 84 bus to Chester where I caught a National Express to Birmingham. From there another coach to Southampton where I rushed in the pouring rain with my luggage to catch the ferry to the forgotten Island (Isle of Wight) and arrived home at 6.15pm...

Engine hours 13

Thursday 3rd January to Thursday 10th January 2019

This time I decided to travel to the boat overnight, so arrived at Wardle where the boat was left at about 8.30am on Friday morning. I had left the boat moored to the bank over the Christmas period. I`m glad to say she was exactly as I had left her just over two weeks ago. When I entered the cabin it was 1C. After I had sorted the boat which doesn`t take long, I decided to start the engine and leave. In a few minutes, I entered the Middlewich Canal at bridge1. 

Entering the Middlewich Canal at bridge1

The Middlewich Canal had been closed for 9 months and had only opened just before Christmas. There were only three fairly deep single locks so progress was good. By the end of daylight which is just past 4pm, I had reached bridge 29 and moored up at the town of Middlewich. Passed only three boats all day, not many people on the move. Did some shopping in town, then lit the fire and settled down for the evening.

The breach that had closed the Middlewich had cost 3 million to repair and much of the money had come from the Post Code Lottery. The high embankment had given way and the canal had emptied itself into the valley below in March 2018. The Canal Trust had blamed it on a boat owner who had left a paddle open on the nearest lock, but some people had said it was just bad maintenance that had caused the breach.

The Breach has now been fixed and the canal opened. It has cost
three million pounds to repair

The Breach in March 2018 when all the water escaped and
boats were left stranded

On Saturday I did not move. I woke up late and spent the day having a walk, a cycle ride and chopping wood which I bought in town. The wood available on the towpath is too wet this time of the year. By 4.30pm it was dark, so I just ate some food, lit the fire and spent the evening and night on board. When I light the fire the cabin temperature goes up to 25C and I heat the bedroom as well by opening the internal door. I have to sit in a tee shirt, it`s so hot. By the next morning, most of the heat has been lost because a canal boat is not insulated as well as a house and has only single glazing.

Map showing The route from near Nantwich to Congleton
via Middlewich

View down the embankment where the water
escaped when the canal embankment gave way

My plan was to reach the Macclesfield Canal and my route was to turn right (starboard) onto the Trent and Mersey Canal. On the section between the Middlewich and Macclesfield Canal, there are over 30 locks. I knew it was going to take me two days of hard work all on my own. On Sunday I did about 14 locks. By dark, I was out in the wilds and just had to pull in for the night in the wilderness. Normally I like to moor near other boats and know exactly where I am just in case I`m ill in the night, but in this case, I had to take a chance that I would not need help.

Kings Lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal. This was the
first of about 30 locks to pass through.

In some places, swans have taken over the towpath. People
 are sometimes afraid to walk past swans because of the
 the myth that their flapping wings can break an arm.

On Monday it was dark before I moored up for the night,
although it was only 4.30pm

On Monday I left early and had the canal to myself. Sounds good, but it can be pleasant to meet other boaters at the locks and exchange a few words. I had many more locks to operate and often had to prepare the water levels before I could open the gates to enter. After passing through I always closed the gate. I wanted to do things properly and not break the rules
although it slowed me down. I found that the more locks I passed through the more careless I became. I let the water in too quickly and the boat shot forward and hit the front gate. Once I tied her up to the lock ladder as the bollards were in the wrong position. The force of her wanting to go forward bent the ladder handle and I couldn`t pull it back into an upright position again.

I tried to stop the boat being sucked forward in the lock
by tying it to the lock ladder handle and look at what happened.

I never stopped until I reached the Macclesfield Canal entrance. It was nearly dark and after passing through the bridge, I tied up for the night completely on my own, but at least there were houses nearby. It had been a hard day but a satisfying one.

Entering the Macclesfield Canal from the Trent and Mersey Canal

I had about 6 miles to travel along the Macclesfield Canal to reach Congleton and there was only one stop lock to pass through. I left later than usual. The sun came out and although low in the sky, I could feel just a little heat on my back, but the air was cold. After about 2 hours I got near to Congleton, so I moored the boat and cycled ahead to see what my destination looked like. I found the railway station, found the wharf and bought some supplies. Later went back and drove the boat to Congleton Wharf and tied up for the night. Again I heated the cabin and spent a comfortable night aboard.

A cold morning at Congleton Wharf

My night`s mooring at the start of the Macclesfield Canal.

On Wednesday morning I cycled into Congleton and bought some wood and a few supplies. Returned to the boat and chopped the wood into smaller pieces. I then tidied and vacuumed the boat and later had a chat with two narrowboat characters on the towpath. One never stopped talking and the other never uttered a word. As I was maintaining the boat went into the town again and bought some nappies. Not expecting a happy event but someone told me they are great for absorbing any water in the bilge. Which they did very well. I moved the boat away from the wharf, across the aqueduct and moored up close to another boat that had been left. I spoke to a dog walker who lived in a house close by and she said she would keep an eye on Daydream until return. I then rang River Rescue and booked an engine service for the 30th January after I return.

Two interesting characters. Both owned narrowboats and
travelled together and would never live in a house. They
did have some problems not having a house address.

Me chopping wood on the towpath

My two-week mooring at Congleton

The next day I caught a train to Stoke on Trent, a coach to Southampton via Birmingham and a ferry to the Isle of Wight. The diesel tank was half full of diesel.

Day Dream was one of the first boats to pass through the restored
canal. Also, there was a photographer taking photographs for the
February edition of Towpath Magazine

Engine hours 13 this time

Thursday 24th January to 31st January 2019

On the first day made a twelve-hour journey by boat, coach and train to reach Daydream. After arriving I had to drag a heavy bag along a muddy towpath in the dark to reach the place I had left Daydream. As I got closer there didn`t seem to be any boats there, but suddenly in the gloom, I could see three narrowboats with Daydream in the middle. She was just as I had left her two weeks before, untouched. Soon had a roaring fire going and spent the first evening sorting things out.

On the way to Macceslfield, I had a puncture in the front tyre

Decided to stay put and go for a cycle ride along the towpath towards Macclesfield. The path was very muddy and gradually deteriorated. Just over halfway I had a puncture in the front tyre which I mended. Punctures always seem to happen when the ground is wet and I think the hawthorn hedges had been trimmed and they had left the cuttings on the towpath. I decided to turn back as the days are so short. I was about a mile from Daydream when the back tyre developed a puncture so I just pushed the bike back to the boat. I mended the puncture by the boat then cycled into Congleton to get some fuel to burn. After I had filled the trolley at B&M and reached the till, I discovered I did not have any plastic cards to pay, so I returned to the boat which was quite a distance away, then went back to the shop. Discovered my rear tyre was going soft again. I had to push the bike back so when I reached the boat I was exhausted. It had been a frustrating day so I had some food, lit the log burner and had a quiet evening.

Must be a joke, but not a warm welcome for walkers

Hiking up Mow Cop in Cheshire

View from Mow Cop with a field of turnips in foreground

Dry stone at the top of Mow Cop

On Saturday morning decided to turn round and head back along the canal. I reversed Daydream back over the aqueduct to the wharf where the canal is wide enough to turn round. I then slowly motored along the canal and stopped at bridge 85. I then walked to the top of a hill by footpath called Mow Cop which is 1100 feet high. I lost my way a couple of times, but eventually found the route and reached the top where there were wonderful views over the Cheshire Plain where you could see Wales, Manchester, Crew, Stoke on Trent and the Jodrell Bank radio telescope.

View of the Cheshire Plain. The white dot on the horizon
is Jodrell Bank radio telescope

When the Macclesfield Canal was built the engineer went round the hill and stuck to the plain and avoided locks until the twelve at Bosley. After a good walk, I returned to the boat and motored to bridge 87 at the village of Kent Green, moored up and spent the evening at a nearby pub to keep warm.

These milestones on the Macclesfield Canal
were removed at the start of WW11 in case the
German`s invaded

Ramsden Hall 

For 250 years, Ramsdell Hall has stood looking out over the Cheshire Plain towards Jodrell Bank and the Welsh Hills. While Randle Wilbraham was building his Gothic Folly at Mow Cop, nearby, William Lowndes of Old House Green was building his Georgian country house. A short distance away is Little Moreton Hall, a half-timbered Tudor Manor, perhaps the best of its type in England. What visual delights in this part of Cheshire! Little did William Lowndes know, when he built the Hall, that within a 100 years, there would be a thriving canal to the rear of his property and a railway station a few yards from the impressive front gates. The "Macc" canal is part of the Cheshire Ring of 6 canals, connecting six canals for a circular route of 97 miles, with 92 hand-operated locks. It was opened in 1831. How many people have passed along the canal and gazed up in wonder at the Hall one can only surmise. Mow Cop Station, on the North Staffordshire Railway was opened in 1848 but closed in 1964, along with so many others. Immortalised in the song "Slow Train" by Flanders and Swann. My grandpa Franz knew the station well as he got off the Manchester train on his visits to the hall just before WW1. Actor Roger Moore nearly bought the hall in 1968 but his wife wanted to be nearer London. Since then, the present proprietors have given the hall all that it needed. One of the Jewels of Cheshire has never been in better hands.

On Sunday it was windy but I had planned to return to the entrance of the Macclesfield Canal, get some shopping in Kidsgrove and turn round and go back. It all started well and went to plan. It was so windy I had difficulty in turning around near Kidsgrove. I had passed through Halls Green Stop Lock going down and then again coming back. Then disaster struck. As I emerged into an area with few trees, there was a massive gust of wind and my bike was blown off the top of the canal boat and into the canal as I helplessly watched. I stopped the boat and tied up to the bank with difficulty and constructed a piece of rope with a mooring hook on the end. I spent an hour throwing the rope and hook across the canal and dragging the bottom with no luck. In the end, I retired to the boat and watched a video.

Halls Green stop lock. The water level difference is small

Buying diesel from a commercial narrowboat that sells
 gas and coal and diesel and plies the canals looking for business 

On Monday 28th January it was exactly six months that I started cruising in Daydream.  I woke up early, the cabin was cold and when I looked out of the window the canal was covered with thin ice. Later the sun came out but the air was cold. I went out and continued to throw the hook across the canal. It didn`t work. I had a break and tried again, this time I fixed an extra weight on the hook, but no luck. A diesel/coal boat came along breaking the ice. I stopped him and he filled my diesel tank with red diesel. If you are going to leave the boat for a while in the winter it is better to have the tank filled up otherwise you get condensation inside the tank. Afterwards, I continued to throw the hook and I was just about to give up when I hooked the cycle and pulled it to the towpath. I was elated but I had to be realistic and knew that the electric motor and controller would not work anymore after 17 hours underwater. I stowed the bike aboard and left the mooring in beautiful sunshine I motored back to Congleton and tied up at the wharf. I then walked into town and later spent the night aboard with a big fire burning.

After three hours of trying, I hooked the bike and pulled it out after 17
hours underwater

On Tuesday I did not move the boat and had plans to do a few jobs. However it started raining, then it snowed and was cold. I couldn`t do much until it stopped. Eventually, I walked into the town and bought some logs and struggled to walk back with them as they were heavy. Sat in the boat with little to do, so walked back into town and visited the library just to keep warm and print my e-ticket for the journey home on Thursday.

A snake bridge on the Macclesfield Canal. Was constructed
so the horses pulling the boats didn`t have to be unhitched.
when the towpath changes sides

When I looked out of the window on Wednesday everywhere was covered with snow, but the sun was shining. I moved the boat across the aqueduct not far from bridge 76. I had booked an engineer to service my engine from River Rescue sometime ago for 10am. I received a text from Paul, the engineer asked me if I wanted to cancel because of the snow. I replied that I was happy to have the service carried out. After an hour he rang and said he had hardly moved in the van near Manchester because of the snow, so I agreed to reschedule. I was disappointed as I wanted the oil changed, as I had rented a winter mooring until the middle of March and it`s best not to leave dirty oil in the engine over the winter.

In the morning Daydream was covered in snow

I then rang the canal trust and asked someone from the winter mooring team if I could leave the boat near the aqueduct at Congleton Wharf for the winter. I was told it was probably alright so I reversed the boat over the aqueduct again and tied up behind another boat that had been left. I spent time getting the boat ready to be left for six weeks for which I had bought a permit. I then walked into town again, had a coffee and managed my 8000 steps I should be doing every day. That evening the fire heated the boat to 29C but by Thursday morning it was down to 3C in the lounge. The temperature was down to -4C outside that night. I had only recorded 9 hours of engine time this week. Total hours for the six months of cruising is 151 hours

The aqueduct at Congelton

I had packed my bags and at 9.45am on Thursday walked along the towpath dragging my heavy bag towards the railway station. Passing over the aqueduct I suddenly slipped on a patch of ice and went down onto my back. Luckily no damage was done and just my pride was hurt. I continued my journey that all went smoothly until I reached home at 10.15pm.

Wednesday 13th March to Thursday 21st March

Daydream had been moored at Congleton Wharf for nearly seven weeks on a winter mooring permit. I often worried if she was alright as I was so far away. Luckily I had Roy and Audrey keep an eye on her and they would send me a text every two weeks just to say she was in order.

Daydream at Congleton Wharf where I had
left her for nearly 7 weeks

I stayed at my son`s house on Tuesday night to pick up my new bike delivered there to replace the one blown into the canal on the previous trip. I had chosen a mountain bike to ride on the canal towpaths that were often very muddy. It was good the see my son, Sarah his wife and my two grandchildren, Eve and Ada.

This time instead of a coach I took the car and on Wednesday drove the two hundred plus miles to the boat in Cheshire. On arriving found a space close to the boat to park the car and found the boat just as I had left her 7 weeks before.

The new Mountain bike that kept getting punctures

Unloaded the car in a howling wind and that evening settled down and organised the boat, ran the engine, watched a bit of TV but didn`t light the fire although had plenty of logs given to me by my daughter, Alison. It turned out to be quite chilly on board although I thought Spring had started, in reality, it`s often colder than the winter.

The wind was howling for nearly 4 days

The next day the weather was awful, the wind was howling and it kept raining, so I stayed moored up and did some chores. I took the old bike to the car as I would need to sort it out at home. By midday, the weather was a little better so I cycled into town and got some shopping and a bottle of wine for the good Samaritans who had to send me texts telling me my boat was in order, although I had never met them. Later on, I cycled the six miles to their canal-side cottage and gave them the wine. They were people who had travelled the canals in their boat which was built in 1947 and had even taken it to France and navigated the French canals. After a cuppa and chat, they invited me to eat with them on Saturday evening. On the way back to the boat I got a puncture. I kept pumping up the tyre and doing a bit of riding before it when flat again. In the end, I just pushed it for at least 4 miles back to Congleton and the boat. Guess that`s why they are called push bikes.

On the Biddulph Valley Path. The remains of Chatterley Whitfield 
Colliery which held the record for mining 1 million tons of coal
in one year

On Friday I walked into Congleton and bought a new inner tube and puncture outfit. Back at the boat fitted it then decided to cycle towards Stoke on Trent along the Biddulph Valley Way after getting details from the tourist office. It was a pleasant ride passing an old colliery. Didn`t quite get to Stoke, but on the way back got another puncture which rather spoilt the ride. Later in the day had a quiet evening on the boat and lit the fire and watched TV.

On Saturday 13th March I had an engine service booked with River Rescue. I got up early and tidied the boat. At 10am the engineers arrived and I watched them service the engine. It was quite straightforward and their biggest problem was getting the oil filter off.

An engineer from River rescue servicing the diesel engine

.Later drove to Tesco and Halfords to buy food and more inner tubes for the bike. In the evening drove to the canal-side cottage where Roy and Audrey had invited me for a meal. They were an interesting couple who had stories about their adventures and how the French they met whilst cruising the French Canals are so much more friendly and welcoming than people on the English Canal system. We all had a super meal with raclette cheese and wine. Very nice people.

Roy and  Audrey invited me for a meal at their
canal-side cottage..They also kept an eye on Daydream
for me

On Sunday the strong wind and rain continued and the towpath got muddier. Cycled to a car boot in Congleton which I had been told about, but I saw nothing of interest. Returned to the boat had a quiet sit down, but later went out for a ride along the Biddulph Valley Way again and had no punctures this time. Returned to the boat later lit a fire and spent a quiet evening and thought about the fact I had been on the boat now for 4 days and hadn`t moved.

Relaxing on the boat in the evening

Taking on some water

The weather forecast for Monday was better so started the engine and left the wharf after 7 weeks moored in one place. It was good to be on the move again but it rained although the wind had dropped. After a pleasant cruise, I came to the 12 Bosley Locks. I stopped and decided to go up in the morning. Decided to cycle back to Congleton and get some shopping, but after only a mile I had another puncture. I then decided it was almost impossible to cycle along the towpath because the hawthorn hedges had been cut and the thorns just left on the towpath. I mended the puncture and returned to the boat. It was 3.30pm and I decided to have a go and try and do the locks. It took about 3 hours, it was dark by the time I finished and I was tired so moored up for the night.

At the top of the 12 Bosley Locks. The only locks on the
Macclesfield  Canal

The next day left my mooring place and slowly idled past many moored boats but the canal and towpath were virtually deserted. After a while came across a swing bridge where I could see lights and a barrier to operate. It`s very difficult to do quickly if you are a solo boater and have to face the annoying looks of impatient motorists. I thought I`d wait until another boat came along. Suddenly one appeared and between us we operated the bridge quickly and efficiency without the wroth of the motorists. I continued along the canal and passed through another manual swing bridge which was easy to do. I carried on until I came to Macclesfield where I tied up to a floating pontoon for the night. I then visited Tesco to do some shopping and spent the evening on board.

The one beautiful day at Bollington

On Wednesday got up early, had a shower, washed up, got ready and left the pontoon early. It was a beautiful day, the first day of warm sunshine as I slowly approached Bollington. Once moored up I decided to go and fetch the car from Congleton and park it near the boat. I had to catch two buses but was soon there. Set the sat nav for my new location and drove the 13 miles to my new parking place. After some lunch, I went for a cycle ride along the towpath and guess what I got another puncture which I mended. I was near Kerridge Dry Dock so I phoned the owner as I needed a blacking to the hull. I arranged to meet him the next day at 10.30am.

Kerridge Dry Dock where I had hoped to have
a blacking carried out but they were too busy
and couldn`t do it for a month

On Thursday I cycled to the boatyard and to meet up with the owner. He didn`t turn up and I was told to go to his house up the lane, which I did. I knocked on his door and when he answered he was still in his pyjamas and had forgotten about meeting me. He told me it would be a month as he was booked up, so I gave him my number and he promised to text me with a date when he could do it as his calendar was at the yard. Of course, he never did contact me. He didn`t seem to want to do business with me or forgot.

A stone labyrinth on the Middlewood Way. Many exist throughout
the world. If you walk through the labyrinth it is supposed
to give you a feeling of inner peace.

Later I cycled the 10 miles along the Middlewood Way track to Maple Locks on the Upper Peak Forest canal to see if the 15 locks were working so I could reach Manchester. They were not open, major works were still going on and were behind schedule and the canal wouldn`t be open until May.

A view of Bollington from the Middlewood Way

It was a good ride back to the boat along this old railway track, but when I got back to the boat I felt fed up. It was so quiet, I was on my own, I couldn`t really move forward, I could not get a blacking for the hull of the boat, so decided to go home. I organised the boat to leave for 2 weeks, loaded the car and left and headed back home. Got to my son`s place by 10pm, left my damaged bike (the one that was blown into the canal) spent the night and left for the Island Friday morning. Left the car at Barton on Sea (to avoid the massive fares charged by the ferry companies to take a car) and returned to the Island by bus, ferry as a foot passenger and bus again.

From Thursday 5th April to  Wednesday 10th April 2019

I arrived at 7pm at Bollington by the car after driving from Barton on Sea. I parked by the canal bridge and walked along the towpath and found Daydream moored to the bank where I had left her two weeks before. It was actually two weeks and one day and later found a polite email in my inbox as it had been noticed by the canal support officer that the boat had been moored just over two weeks, I had not driven there the day before because of the bad weather.

Daydream at Bollington where I left her for two weeks

Letter about my overstay

^{Our Ref: DAYDREAM}

^{Your Ref: 8135014}

^{Dear David James Johnson,}

^{Let’s keep our waterways flowing}                   

^{Using our previous working day's sightings, it looks like your boat may have been moored in the same general area for more than 14 days. If you have moved since the sighting was taken (e.g. moved over the weekend if you received a reminder on Monday), then thank you and you do not need to take any further action.} 

^{Please remember that when you’re cruising you should be on the move every 14 days.   Please feel free to contact me if there are any issues which are making it difficult for you to regularly move; we may be able to help you.}

^{We’re here to help}

^{Most people do remember to phone us if they are unable to move their boat before they get a reminder. If you’re not able to move your boat right now for whatever reason, I’m just a phone call away. You can reach me by calling the number below. Just make sure you have your boat index number and your current location to hand. For a refresher on the terms and conditions of your boat licence, please view the PDF athttps://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/5962.pdf} 

^{If you’re looking for inspiration for your next destination, take a look at our waterways map at}

^{https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network}

^{Boaters make our waterways what they are. Together we can keep our canals and rivers flowing and open to all.}

^{Thank you – and happy boating.}

^{Yours sincerely}

^{Joyce Atkins
Licence Support Advisor
joyce.atkins@canalrivertrust.org.uk
01908 302571}

^{Please note, calls may be recorded}

^{PO Box 162 Leeds LS9 1AX T 0303 040 4040 or Use our contact form Here
Mon to Fri, 8am to 6pm www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/licensing}

There are many quiet places to leave a car by the canal

In the evening I got the boat organised and ready to leave the next morning. The next morning I went to Bollington Wharf and bought a cylinder of gas for £35 and turned the boat around in the winding hole with some help on the ropes from other boaters. I had decided to go south as the route to Manchester had been blocked by major works at the Maple Locks. I cruised slowly along the canal in the sunshine keeping my distance from another boat in front. The boat in front ran aground and didn`t know how to get off. There were eleven young men on board and it was a hired dayboat. Most of them were intoxicated, but I pulled them off the mudbank and they carried on. We both moored up at Macclesfield on the floating pontoon and they all left their boat for the pub. After they got back they were even drunker and whilst trying to start their boat broke the ignition key in the lock with the alarm sounding. Although they had untied the boat and were floating I managed to turn off their alarm and pull them in whilst they waited for someone to come out from the boatyard where they had hired the boat. It had cost them £160 a day and they had to leave £100 deposit. The engineers were soon there with another key and got the boat started. Apparently, they had been turning the key to start and pressing the stop button at the same time.

The dayboat full of drunken sailors

Later I pressed on towards the 12 Bosley locks but I had to pass through the two swing bridges. The first with barriers and traffic lights and there were no other boaters to help, so I did it myself. By the time I had finished, there were five vehicles waiting, but they all seemed good-humoured as it wasn`t rush hour.

The swing bridge with lights and barriers

Further along the canal, there was another swing bridge and two teenagers helped me go through by operating the bridge. They were just out for a walk along the towpath so I offered them a short ride on the boat. They accepted and they had never been on a narrowboat before, so had lots of questions.

Going back down the 12 Bosley locks with the help of volunteer
lock keepers

Eventually, I moored by bridge 54 near the locks, got a good TV picture so could hear all about Brexit and the Grand National. Also, the clocks going forward and sunshine have made life on the canal so much better.

After dumping some rubbish at the canal facilities at the top lock of the Bosley lock flight, I approached the first lock expecting it to take me at least 3 hours to go down, but there were three volunteer lock keepers on duty. With their help, it only took me one and a half hours. They were excited because a celebrity boat was due to come up and be filmed for TV. When I reached the bottom lock all the film crew were getting into position. I passed the boat, think it was called Erin and I`m sure I saw John Prescott sitting in the cockpit. I waved to him but he didn`t wave back. Maybe he would have preferred a fight as when he was deputy prime minister he got into a scuffle with a member of the public who threw an egg at him.

Think this was the celebrity boat with Prescott in the cockpit

I carried on until I reached Congleton where I moored up. I decided to go and fetch the car which was still parked at Bollington by a bridge. It was a Sunday bus service but managed a bus to Macclesfield, then had to walk the 2 miles along the towpath. Once at the car I set the GPS and drove to Congleton and parked near the boat.

Roy and Audrey  in their cottage garden

On Monday 8th April, I woke up, relaxed for a while then vacuumed the boat and then checked the oil and water. It was 10.30pm when I moved. I said goodbye to Congleton and headed south towards the Herecastle Tunnel and the Trent and Mersey Canal with a view to passing through the tunnel and moving south towards London. I passed Roy and Audrey`s cottage and their narrowboat called Rosie. They invited me in for a cup of tea and a glass of wine and we toasted Audrey because it was her birthday. Anyone walking along the towpath has an open invitation to call in for a cup of tea.

Narrowboat Rosie built-in 1947

Later on, I carried on along the canal until I got very close to the tunnel. It was too late to go through, but the tunnel keeper gave me a safety booklet to read as it was quite a difficult tunnel to navigate. Spent the evening adjusting the fenders and cleaning the outside of the boat on one side and cleaned the flue. I have to admit the towpath is now a lot less muddy and I don`t have to keep changing my shoes ongoing inside the boat so with a combination of longer days, sunshine and less mud I have more energy.

An open invitation to call in for tea

Going into the Herecastle tunnel

I turned up ready to go through the tunnel nice an early. The tunnel keeper gave me a talk and an air horn and told me if I got stuck should blast once every 30 seconds and someone would come and rescue me. After waiting for a boat coming the other way to emerge, it was my turn to go. I had my boat dimensions checked and into the tunnel, I went. As well as my front light I had my very powerful cycle light on the cabin top in front of me. It seemed not to bad at first but the roof got lower and it was like navigating a tomb. I could not stand up to see and hit my head on the roof twice. I could not see the tunnel exit as a pinprick of light because they close a door at the exit and blow air through the tunnel. After about 40 minutes I emerged into daylight and spared a thought to the poor canal workers who used to have to leg their boats through that tunnel before engines and health and safety. No wonder they died at a young age.

View of the brickwork in the tunnel

Once out I moored the boat, got the cycle off the back and cycled along the towpath into Stoke on Trent to a boatyard where I thought I might get a blacking done. The last blacking was three years ago so she really needed doing. The response was positive so I cycled back to the boat and brought her to the yard and put her on the slipway ready to be pulled out in the afternoon. An eyelet had to be welded on to the bow and afterwards, she was lifted and put on blocks, then power washed.
In the evening I went to a sauna which was close to the canal as I needed someone to talk to. Spent an hour and a half there, but found it difficult to understand the local accent at times. I slept on board on dry land that night. In the morning I decided to go home and leave the boat so I caught 4 buses, got to Congleton and retrieved the car and brought it to Stokeboat`s yard. When I arrived back at the yard the boat had been moved and a chap was blacking the boat. He told me the hull was in good condition. I asked an engineer about the hot water system that had been giving me a headache for six months, but with his help, I solved the fault, which wasn`t a fault but a lack of knowledge on my part.

On the slipway at Stokeboat`s yard, to have eyelet welded on
to the bow

Daydream being pulled out of the water

Daydream on dry land ready for blacking

I decide to go home that night in the car but didn`t want to arrive until Thursday morning because there were no ferries or buses. I left about 9pm, drove slowly the 200+ miles along the motorways, called in at every service area to kill time and left the car at Barton on Sea and caught buses and the ferry home as a foot passenger.

Engine hours: 10

Tuesday 7th May to Wednesday 15th May 2019

Picked up Malcolm and the car at 12.30pm at Barton on Sea and drove to Stoke. Arrived there at 7pm and the gates to the yard were closed, but I had a key.

The boat had been left at the yard for nearly a month for blacking. This is where the hull is blacked in bitumen for protection. Another problem had been found. Diesel was appearing through the counter plate at the base of the fuel tank and the conclusion was that water in the tank had rotted the steel from the inside. I had to have a proper job done by over plating the bottom of the tank. I had paid so the boat was launched ready for use. That evening we slept and ate on board. 

Diesel leaking from the counter plate

The counter plate being over plated

The next day after doing some shopping, Malcolm and I tried to start the engine, but it wouldn't start. We tried to fix it with no success. After visiting reception and discussing the problem with the boss it was agreed that Russ, the engineer should come over and get the engine going. He had to bleed the system but eventually, it started. After having a pump out we moved Daydream to the slipway and didn`t move that day from the yard.

Daydream in the slipway shed at Stokeboats undercover

On Thursday we finally left Longport, Stoke on Trent just before 10am and headed south along the Trent and Mersey Canal. The weather was cold and miserable and did not feel like the month of May. It was also raining by the time we reached the first four locks. In all that day we did about 12 locks and eventually moored at a place called Stone. Malcolm felt very cold so lit the log burning stove for the second evening on returning to the boat.

Old derelict canalside buildings, relicts of former commercial
 activity was everywhere.

The next day which was Friday we left Stone at about 10am and slowly travelled south in the sunshine. It was very pleasant. Passed through several locks, but by afternoon it was pouring with rain. I got quite cold steering the boat but wanted to reach bridge 66 where I was told there was a supermarket at Rugeley. Eventually stopped at the bridge and the sun came out Walked to the store with Malcolm, did a little shopping, had a coffee. Spend the evening aboard the boat and Malcolm cooked the meal.

Slowly passing properties and Gardens on the Trent&Mersey Canal

When I left Stokeboats where I had work carried out, I asked if could leave the car and collect it after a couple of days. On  Saturday Malcolm and I caught the bus to Stafford, then another bus until we reached the yard at Longport where we collected the car and drove back to Rugeley where I parked the car in a quiet residential road close to the canal. That day it rained, hailed and later the sun came out. On getting back to the canal two of the mooring pegs had come out of the ground and Daydream was half across the canal. Obviously, a boat had passed too fast, although the bank was a bit soft and muddy. Later moved the boat further along the canal and tied up by Tesco to mooring rings which are much better than pegs that are hammered into the bank. Later I walked across to Tesco and Malcolm cooked the evening meal.

Just made the turning from the Trent&Mersey on to the
Coventry Canal at Fradley Junction

Malcolm had booked to go home on Monday from Tamworth railway station, so we had to arrive there later today. We motored most of the day in the sunshine, first on the Trent&Mersey Canal then along the Coventry Canal. There were only a few locks to pass through but it took until 5.30 pm before we moored the boat as close to the railway station as possible outside the Tamworth Cruising Club. I went for a bike ride to Alvecote Marina and found a place that I thought might be a good place to leave the boat for a while and a place to park the car.

A narrow cutting through rock where only one boat at
a time can navigate

Everything looks better, you feel better when the sun shines

Towards the end of a hot day at Alvecote

A family of Mallard ducks

Alvecote and Narrow craft Marina

Malcolm was due to catch his train in the afternoon. I decided to get the car. I had already selected a place to put it, close to the canal. In the morning I cycled the 17 miles along the towpath to Rugeley where the car was parked, It took me about two and a quarter hours. I found the car, loaded the bike on the rack, set the satnav and drove to the new parking place. I then cycled back to the boat. Malcolm had gone and left the boat tidy and locked. It was very warm on the boat. It had changed from cold to hot in a week.

On Tuesday after spending time doing a few jobs, I left my mooring place and headed a few miles along the canal where I had selected my mooring place to leave Daydream and go home. I took my time enjoying the warmth and scenery and tied up close to the car where I thought the boat would be safe for two weeks. I spent the rest of the day packing my bags and getting ready to leave.

The next day I left the boat very early and drove to Barton on Sea where I left the car in its usual place. I then caught my two buses to Southampton where I caught the ferry home to the Isle of Wight.

Engine hours 19

Thursday 30th May to  Saturday 8th June 2019

Travelled back to Daydream and I`m pleased to say she was just as I had left her two weeks before. On the way, I was trapped in a 3-hour traffic jam after a fatal accident on the M40m. However, I arrived before dark and spent the evening organising the job for a week of cruising.

After a good night`s sleep, I cycled to the co-op and bought a few groceries. Left the Alvecote mooring at 10am and headed to Atherstone. At Bradley Bridge number 48 I recognised the first place I had left the boat last August when I was heading north. This time I was going south along the Coventry Canal. On a very narrow section of the canal, I had my first collision with a narrowboat going too fast. Just like the road I thought. I had stopped but he kept going and tried to get through a narrow gap which he should have judged to be too small. I tried to avoid `boat rage` and said nothing, just a dirty look.  There were many boats on the move, the fine weather bringing out from their marina berths. Came to the 11Atherfield locks. So set to work but on the last 3, there were volunteer lock keepers on duty. This always helps as it speeds you through. After the locks, I searched for space to moor the boat by bridge 41. A kind boat owner moved their boat up to make space for me to moor to the bank.

On Saturday after a slow start left my space at about 10am which is the time many boat travellers start. I helmed for two hours until I came to Nuneaton where I stopped and visited Lidl and bought a few groceries. It was a very warm day and I had all the windows and hatches open. By 3pm I was ready to leave and after an hour arrived at Marston Junction where the Ashby Canal branches off the Coventry Canal. Decided to stop there for the night.

There was a good parking place by the canal so decided to go and get the car. I cycled back along the towpath for 20 miles and it took about 2 hours. I returned to the boat by car setting the coordinates in the sat nav. It was 26 miles by road and took 35 minutes. After parking the car I gave it a clean as it was covered with pollen. I was going to chill out in the afternoon, but I got bored and after a rain shower had stopped I moved on to Hawkesbury Junction where I had to make a 360 degree turn under a bridge to reach the Oxford Canal. After going through a stop lock I tied up for the night.

After a comfortable night, I took my time leaving but got underway at 11.30am on Monday. I helmed the boat for three hours, even although I usually take a break after two hours. I passed many boats and if the owners make eye contact I would wave, smile or say hello. I arrived near Rugby where I found a place to stop. I checked my iPad and found a Tesco not very far away. Made my way there by bike and bought some food and asked if I could leave my car in their carpark for a couple of night. They said the carpark is never checked and the store stays open 24 hours. In the evening I prepared a meal of steamed vegetables and no meat.

On Tuesday I got up and it looked dull and overcast outside. I looked up the weather forecast for Rugby and it indicated `rain.` I nearly didn`t cycle back to get the car, but a 9am decided to go and get wet if necessary. It took me two hours and then to return just 30 minutes and it didn`t rain. Back on the boat I moved her from bridge 48 to 58 and tied up. I then walked into Rugby following the signs for the town centre. By 3.30pm it started to rain and after sitting in the library for a while reading I made my way back to the boat.

After checking the car in Tesco car park. I left my bankside mooring and calmly proceeded towards the Hillmorton locks. There were two volunteer lock keepers who I had met before. The man was easy to talk to and told me stories about boats and that one of the locks at Braunston wouldn`t be open until Thursday at 4pm as some emergency repairs were taking place. Made friends with a couple from another boat and then slowly cruised towards Braunston. After two hours I moored for a shower and a tea and after an hour`s break carried on towards Braunston and found a place to stop close to the Boathouse Pub. I cycled around for a bit in the evening and explored the place.

On Thursday started the day with a cycle ride back to Rugby and Tesco to get the car. It took about one and a half hours. Soon the car was parked in Braunston by the church. I couldn`t pass through the six locks until later in the day so I decide to cycle over the top of the tunnel towards Norton Junction and find a good place to leave the boat safely for two weeks. I found a suitable place with a lane where I could park the car close to the bridge over the canal with a layby. I returned to the boat and at 3pm joined the queue of boats ready to ascend the six locks. These locks were the first double locks I had encounters for some time. I was now on the Grand Union Canal. Eventually, I paired up with a boat called Shambles whose owners had lived on the canal for 12 years. It wasn`t long before we were through the locks and passing through the Braunston Tunnel. I went first as their light wasn`t very good and they followed. After the tunnel, I soon moored the boat for the night. It was a warm beautiful evening. My good deed for the day was rescuing a dog. It was in the canal with no owner around and it couldn`t get out because of the high bank. I pulled her out by the collar. She ran down the towpath at great speed without saying `Thank you`.

On Friday rain was forecast again. June can be such a volatile month weatherwise. I cycled to Braunston and collected the car. As the lane by the canal was an unnamed road I had to put the coordinates into the satnav but found the place and parked in the layby within 15 minutes. Although I can still map read I don`t know what I would do without a satnav as I`m sure I would find it extremely difficult to find these places in the car using a map. Just as I arrived at the boat it started to rain but I had the shelter of the boat. The rain was very heavy but later on, it stopped. I then moved the boat a short distance where I intended to leave it for 14 days and I thought it would be safe and secure.

I was getting tired of the weather. Rain spoils everything so the next day I loaded the car and left at 4.30am in the morning for home. After a good run, I parked in my usual place at Barton on Sea and took the two buses to Southampton where I caught the ferry to East Cowes.

 This time on the boat I had run the engine for 20 hours. 

Friday 21st June to Friday 28th June 2019

Travelled back to the boat on Friday and arrived in the unnamed road by the canal bridge at 4 pm. I found Daydream amoungst other moored craft just as I had left her. Later drove to the nearest Tesco at Daventry and bought some supplies of food.

The next day which was Saturday left the bank mooring at about 10 am and headed south past Norton Junction where two canals meet and entered the top lock of the Buckley locks on my own. It`s always a good idea to go down with another boat as they are double locks and the canal trust are trying to save water. However, there were no other boats. There were several fancy boats heading the other way towards Braunston as there was a festival there the following week. After the bottom lock, I moored up outside Wilton Marina. I decided to have a look at some narrowboats that were for sale. I had bought my first narrowboat called Annabel there in 2012 so knew the routine. I wasn`t thinking of buying another boat but I was just curious to see what the prices were. Things at Wilton were just the same as 7 years ago, but the staff had all changed. Later headed for Weedon and tied up by bridge 23 for the night.

The next day I had a late start as it was Sunday. I cycled ahead to find a suitable place to leave the car. A layby was close to bridge 29. After I had discovered a postcode for the new place, I cycled back to the car and drove to the new parking place. I hadn`t wanted to leave the car too long in the first place as there had been a couple of people looking suspicious hanging around. It was probably all in my imagination, but I`m very security conscious these days and if anyone looks a bit odd I don`t trust them. Once the car was in its new place I cycled back to the boat and moved on. I passed a boatyard and shouted across the canal, asking how much they charge for domestic diesel. The answer was 77p a litre, so I stopped and got the tank filled. I then had to make a declaration which is a waste of time as Custom and Excise just throw the paperwork away. The EU is trying to stop red diesel for boats, but it would cause too many problems on the English canals. The tax is supposed to be different for heating and propulsion, but most narrowboat owners just buy domestic diesel, like me. After buying fuel I travelled to Bugbrooke where I stayed the night. 

In the morning I found a set of keys on the boat that was not mine. I could only think they belonged to the yard where I had bought the diesel. I cycled back to the yard which was further than expected. The yard was grateful to me for bringing them back and said I picked them off the desk, but I thought the man who served me with diesel left them on the boat. Who knows!

Another bit of luck I found the prescription glasses that I thought I had lost. They were in the bathroom where I didn`t look. I left my mooring at Bugsbrooke and helmed for one and a half hours and came to Gayton Junction where I stopped and had a break. Later I carried on and entered the Blisworth Tunnel which is supposed to be haunted and there are several stories of boats that have come across the spirits of the men who died during its construction. The atmosphere in the tunnel was misty, cold, wet and creepy and I felt very alone, but I didn`t see any ghosts, maybe they were on holiday.  

After emerging from the tunnel I reached Stoke Bruerne. The top lock was padlocked and would not be opened until morning. I joined the queue of boats waiting to go through. Stoke Bruerne is a very colourful place with the waterways museum, restaurants and people milling around. It`s not the place to make a mistake with your boat handling skills. The evening was humid and so I went for a bike ride just to cool down.

On Tuesday I awoke to heavy rain. The lock was unpadlocked at 10am and as I was 4th in the queue I went through the 7 locks with a boat called Megan so had lots of help. It continued to rain and after the lock, I carried on for half an hour then stopped for breakfast and a change of clothes. Later I carried on to Cosgrove and found a canal-side carpark where I could park the car. I moored the boat and spent the night.

On Wednesday didn`t move the boat all day, but cycled back to Bugbrooke which took me two and a half hours and had to cycle over the top of Blisworth Tunnel. Also, the towpaths were muddy after the rain of the previous day. Once there I couldn`t find the car at first the remembered the bridge number where I had left it. It didn`t take long to drive back to Cosgrove via Tesco at Daventry where I bought some food and later rode my bike to Milton Keynes just for some exercise.

I found a 2-week mooring close by. I was told it`s a safe place. Took on some water then found a good place to leave the boat just passed the Buckingham Arm and lock. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. I spent the rest of the day doing little jobs on the boat then cycled along the Buckingham Arm which is being restored by volunteers. Later I packed my bags for departure home the next day.

On Friday I left early in the car and by 8am was sitting in a carpark at Milton on Sea with a view of the Isle of Wight. Although I was close to the Island, I knew I would not get back home until 2pm in the afternoon. Six hours later after two buses and a ferry journey, I arrived home.  

     Engine time 10 hours

Thursday 11th July to Saturday 20th July 2019

Left the Island to collect the car which had been parked for two weeks. It turned out to be difficult as the wheels on my heavy bag broke and I had to drag it along the pavement as it was too heavy to carry. Eventually arrived at the car quite exhausted. Drove back to Southampton and collected Danielle at 2.30pm. We then drove to Cosgrove where the boat was moored. Later bought some supplies in Tesco.

I discovered I had another letter from the canal trust telling me I had overstayed my 14 days at Cosgrove. I calculated it had only been 13 days, so I wrote to the trust telling them I felt harassed and bullied and had tried to follow all the rules and explained I cruised for 14 days and went home for 14 days. I received the letter below from the support officer who booked me. 

Hello Mr Johnson

I am the Licence support officer for the Cosgrove area.

I am sorry that you have been in receipt of the reminders (they are purely that, just reminders) that you have mentioned. I see from your cruising that you are indeed a good cruiser, definitely better than most.

Our intention is to deal with the non-compliant boats that you mention, it is automated, unfortunately, some good boaters like yourself get caught up in it occasionally.

Due to our various sightings regimes, someone still in situ on the 14^th day will receive them. All the boaters will receive them, we certainly are not picking on anyone, no one is ignored. This will only count against someone who receives a number of reminders when people like myself will look at their overall cruising. Action will then be taken against any boat not complying. You certainly do not fall into that category.

I can see that this is sensitive to you and will, therefore, withdraw your reminder.

Thank you for your email and all the best.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any further questions

Regards

George Dickinson

On Friday it was a late slow start. I did some essential jobs and Danielle cleaned the boat inside from bow to stern. Later I took the boat to Campbell Park which took two and a half hours. After a break, I cycled into Milton Keynes and found a Sainsbury where I bought a few cleaning materials. Milton Keynes was a strange town where I had to ask several people where I could buy food. It was like being in a foreign country where my English was not understood.

On Friday 13th I spent a while in Campbell Park before moving on to Fenny Stratford, about 4 miles away. Passed several broad beam boats. They are twice the width of a narrowboat and look a bit ungainly when moving, but most have better accommodation below deck. Eventually moored on a 14-day mooring. On the way passed the proposed starting place for the Milton Keynes to Bedford canal, so the Grand Union can link up with the Fens to the east. A viability study has been done costing 50K and the canal will cost between 80 and 150 million to build. Seems a lot of money to spend for a few pleasure boats to navigate when there is another route along the River Nene and I can`t help thinking how the people on the Isle of Wight have no other route to the mainland but the expensive ferries and a tunnel is not supported at the moment. 

On Sunday stayed on the mooring all day and did not move. Cycled back to Cosgrove and collected the car and drove to a new place ahead of where I was moored. Danielle and I then went for a drink at the Red Lion pub. I found a phone on the grass and managed to trace the owner. She came to the pub to collect her property and was grateful. Wanted to watch the Wimbledon men`s final on the pub`s TV but there was cricket on and someone wished to view motor racing so did not bother.

On Monday left Fenny Stratford and headed for Leighton Buzzard passing through several locks mainly with other boats and at `three locks` there were volunteer lock keepers so it was easy for me. Eventually arrived at Leighton Buzzard and stopped on a 2-hour mooring right outside Tesco where Danielle went shopping. Later moved the boat to another place and secured the ropes with pegs driven into the bank. Hate doing this as boat pass too fast and the pegs come loose. Spent the evening watching videos on the boat`s TV.

Did not move the boat the next day. We went for a walk in the sunshine around Leighton Buzzard and then caught a bus to Aylesbury which took 35 minutes. Had a coffee and look round and returned to Leighton Buzzard. Later cycled back to Milton Keynes and brought the car to a new place not too far from the boat. In the evening I cooked dinner which pleased Danielle. 

On Wednesday moved the boat to Church Lock which was not very far. I had the car close by, but I found the handbrake on the car didn`t work, so-called the AA. The man told me the cable was worn it needed pads and a new calliper. I arrange to take it to a garage the next day as the parts had to be ordered. 

The next day I took the car to the garage and it was finished by 3 pm so I could take Danielle to Dunstable in the evening to see Elvis ( Alvin who is an Elvis impersonator ) at the Vantage Indian restaurant where it was full including the mayor and mayoress of Dunstable who we sat next to. Alvin performed most of his Elvis songs and everyone had an enjoyable evening.

Discovered the next day that the sewage tank on the boat was full and I needed a pump out. There was a marina at Grove Lock where I could get one, but it was a quarter-mile behind me. I had to drive the boat backwards for a quarter of a mile which wasn`t easy. I did it and had the pump-out. Afterwards carried on to Slapton lock and filled up the water tank, then further on tied up and got ready to leave and go home the next morning. It had rained for a large part of the day and during the night.

On Saturday left for home at 5 am and took Danielle directly to Southampton and she caught the 7 am ferry to East Cowes. I then drove to Barton on Sea to leave the car for another two weeks. Got back to the Island at midday which is a record.

Engine hours 13 for the 9 days

Tuesday, August 6th to Wednesday, August 14th 2019

It was time to return to the boat three days ago, but I spoke on the phone to the local support officer from the Canal Trust and he said I was OK to leave to the boat in its spot until the 8th August. I took Keith with me this time. He had to attend a funeral later in the week and I had offered to drive him to Castle Hedingham in Essex to attend. Arrived at the boat by 4pm and she was all in order and just as I had left her two weeks before. 

Got up early and took Keith a cup of coffee. He had slept badly and was tired. We went for a walk along the towpath and later returned to the boat and then drove to Leighton Buzzard and had breakfast at Morrisons which Keith paid for. After returning to the boat we set off and passed through 9 locks and finally moored at Marsworth next to a reservoir. Keith slept for much of the day but later he cooked dinner.

This part of the Grand Union Canal has many double locks and in the morning a narrowboat went past heading for the next lock, so I thought I would join it and quickly untied Daydream and followed the other boat into the lock. It always helps when there are two boats in a double lock as the lock operation is shared and you have someone to talk to. After about 9 locks we tied up at Cowroast. Cowroast was originally a place where cows rested on their way to market and was originally called Cowrest. 

That afternoon I cycled back to fetch the car and it took an hour along the towpath. I then put the bike on the rack on the back of the car and drove the nine miles to a new parking place. Later Keith and I went to Tesco to buy some suppliers and the handbrake on the car stopped working again, although I had it fixed last time at a garage. So I had to call the AA again and the handbrake cables had seized up and the AA man renewed both cables, but thought the garage should have done this last time. 

On Friday it was the day of the funeral of Roger who had been in a wheelchair since childhood after suffering polio and was 75. We drove to Castle Hedingham in Essex. Roger was the husband of  Keith`s cousin, Patience. The boat was safely moored so we left and arrived about 2 hours before the funeral. The actual funeral took place in beautiful sunshine and later we attended the Wake and drank wine and ate sandwiches, I slept the night at the widow`s house. 

In the morning we all went for coffee in the town. It was a very windy day. While we walked back to Patience`s house a tree was blown down half was across the road. We tried to help move it onto the grass, but it was so heavy it wasn`t possible. Eventually, someone came along with a chainsaw and cut the tree up. I took a few logs and returned to the car. Keith wanted to go home to the Island, so I drove back to Cowroast and the boat on my own.

On Sunday woke and made tea and started a few jobs in the boat. I turned the front windows into leaded Georgian squares, tried to sort the bilge pump out and my hands got so greasy. I also sited the horn outside on the front of the boat under the headlight, where it could be heard clearly. At 2.30 pm I left Cowroast and passed through 4 locks.  At the first one, I dropped my lovely windlass into the water. Luckily I had a spare but at the fourth lock, I lost that one too. (a windlass is used to operate the paddles on the locks) Then I got drenched in a sudden thunderstorm, so moored up as could go no further without a windless.

The first thing I did on Monday morning rode on my bike along the towpath to find a chandlery where I could buy a windlass, but I was hoping to get one for free. I spoke to a boater and sure enough, he had an old rusty windlass which he gave me for free. Decided I would be extra careful this time. Windlasses are always being forgotten and left at locks, but you always find them when you don`t need one. I then cycled back to the boat and was pretty quick moving off and shared several locks with another boat. Eventually came to Winkwell near Hemel Hempsted, where I moored the boat and cycled back to get the car and brought it to Winkwell via Tesco.

On Tuesday I continued on my way and had to pass through a swing bridge with traffic lights. I was hoping to have some help but none came, so I operated it myself and by the time I had finished there were about 12 cars waiting for this one narrowboat to pass. One driver got out of his car and was very friendly, but most of the other drivers looked cross. After the swing bridge, I passed through about 12 double locks mainly alone, every lock having to be set. At least it was warm and sunny. I reached Kings Langley and decided to leave the boat here and go home tomorrow. 

The next day it was cloudy, windy and raining. First thing I did was collect the car from Winkwell and bring it to Kings Langley ready to leave. I was a bit worried about the windscreen wipers on the car as they had worked intermittently, so was hoping the rain would stop. but It didn`t. I managed the M25, but on the M3 the rain got so bad I just couldn`t see and had to pull onto the hard shoulder and ring the AA. They sent a towtruck who pulled me to a safe place and Matt the AA man took a look at the wipers. All the linkages were broken, so he towed me to the Southampton ferry and I got home alright. As the boat is now just outside the London area, next time I will go by coach and bus.

Engine hours: 12

Wednesday 28th August to Wednesday 4th September 2019

Travelled back to Daydream. Took the coach from Southampton to Hemel Hempstead. Then caught the bus to Kings Landley where there was a short walk to the boat. Arrived there at 4.40 pm and found the boat fully in order. Spent the evening unpacking and later bought some supplies at the supermarket. 

The following day I left the mooring place at 9.00 am. I knew there were many locks and the first three I operated them on my own as there was no sign of other craft. Later on, there were more boats around. Most people start their cruising at about ten in the morning and I passed through several locks with other boats. After about 4 hours and 9 locks I tied up for food and tea. About 4.30 pm I set off again and after 4 locks arrived at Blatchford and after lock 81 stayed there the night.

The next day after a little shopping in the local Tesco superstore., I left Blatchford and headed for Harefield, After a number of locks suddenly saw my son`s old boat called `Duck Dodger` and remember how I had accidentally sunk it in a lock about 9 years ago and it was still going strong. Later I cycled into Uxbridge and found the leisure centre where I enquired about the tennis club, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. I then cycled back to the boat and had something to eat. 

On Saturday decided to stay put and cycle to Uxbridge and beyond. It turned out to be a very bad day as my bike was stolen outside Poundland in Uxbridge. I was only in the shop for four minutes and the bike was locked to a lamp post outside the shop. After asking people sitting down close to the bike, I reported it to the metropolitan police who gave me a crime number and said they would look at CCTV.  There was a camera on the lamp post, but I suspect the theft won`t be investigated as it`s way down the ladder of importance. The bike is insured but as I walked along the towpath back to the boat I did not have a nice feeling as I was a victim of crime. As I got to the boat it started raining a little which only added to my depression. Later in the day, I motored a little closer to Uxbridge and moored above Denham Lock which is the deepest lock on the Grand Union Canal.

On Sunday I did not move the boat all day. As I had no bike I had to walk to the Uxbridge Tennis Club where I played three sets of good tennis on grass courts. as a guest. In the afternoon I sat in the sauna, steam room and jacuzzi at the Uxbridge leisure centre where I was able to chat and this took my mind off my recent theft.

On Monday I left my mooring and motored a couple of miles. I passed through Denham Lock and Uxbridge Lock and moored the boat on a 24-hour mooring very close to the town.  I walked into Uxbridge and visited  Halfords to look at some bikes for sale. I then jumped on a 427 red bus and had a ride to Ealing. It took ages, passing through Southall which seemed to be all Asian, but Ealing was more cosmopolitan. After a return ride walked along the towpath for a couple of miles as I was thinking about returning home and was looking for a safe place for the boat. After a long chat with another boat owner at a place called Cowley, I walked back to the boat for dinner and tea. Watched a video in the evening.

The next day I slowly motored towards Cowley passing hundreds of liveaboard moored boats. It was quite windy but dry. At Cowley lock filled up with water and dumped rubbish then passed through the lock and under bridge 189 and found a mooring place close to some other boats. I had to cut down some nettles and grass with my sithe. I used pegs and rope loops to secure the boat. In the afternoon I jumped on the 222 bus into Uxbridge and visited the sauna again for a couple of hours. 

As I walked through town passed the place where my bike was stolen, there was another bike in the same place where mine had been and left. It was left unlocked, so I sat down to watch to see if anyone would steal it. but there were no thieves around, so I concluded that I had just been unlucky when my bike had been taken. After returning to the boat the gas ran out, so with some difficulty, I had to change the gas cylinder to the spare. The gas had lasted for ages since I had discovered how to set the dial to make hot water from the engine. I then booked my coach from Victoria Coach Station to Southampton for the next day and had my ticket sent to my phone.

Left the boat at about 10.30 pm and caught the Picadilly line from Uxbridge Tube Station to Green Park, the Victoria line to Victoria and walked to the coach station. It took over an hour and I still found money on my Oyster Card which I hadn`t used for 6 years.  There was a bit of a wait at Victoria Coach Station, but then I managed to get on an earlier Southampton coach, as the service had been disrupted by a coach breakdown.  Arrived back on the Island an hour earlier than expected.

Engine hours for the week: 10

Thursday 12th September to Wednesday 18th September 2019

Returned to the boat with Danielle. Left the Island on the 10.30 am ferry from East Cowes, then the National Express coach to Victoria Coach Station. Walked to Victoria underground station and jumped on a train to Uxbridge station. Once there caught a bus to Cowley where we found the boat all on her own with nothing missing. After a little organisation moved along the canal in the boat to a Tesco Superstore where we did some shopping, afterwards settled down to a meal and watched TV in the evening.

The next morning I left Danielle on the boat and caught the 222 bus into Uxbridge and walked to Halfords and collected my replacement bike which I had delivered there by the insurance company.  After fitting the peddles and pulling the cardboard off, I rode it along the towpath to Daydream where I vowed to be extremely careful with it as the London area seems to be alive with thieves and coming from an area where there is little crime I can be careless. Later in the day took Danielle into Uxbridge to wander around the shops and have a cup of coffee. After returning later to Daydream motored along the canal to Bull`s Bridge in the Autumn sunshine and moored outside Tesco Extra on a 24-hour mooring. Spend some time putting a few accessories on the new bike, and enjoyed the evening heat and sunshine.

Stayed most of the day at Bull`s Bridge. Rode my new bike along the towpath to Southall and it performed very well. The weather was hot and sunny again so didn`t rush to move and about 3.30pm left the mooring, reversed a short distance and turned through the bridge and started my journey along the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union. Eventually arrived at Greenford where I tied up near the bridge 15A. The main road crosses the bridge and buses and trains can be caught into central London.

On Sunday caught the underground train to Hyde Park. Walked under Marble Arch and into Hyde Park. Visited the Serpentine and Princess Diana Memorial. Later went into Marks a Spencer cafe and had something to eat and drink. During the afternoon visited  Speakers Corner and we listened to a few debates. One speaker was talking of the benefits of democracy but was shouted down by muslins and black Africans who he said had contributed nothing for the world in the last 700 years but had taken so much.  Returning to Greenford, got most of the way by bus, then train. Walking along the towpath Danielle`s foot went down a hole and she fell over. I tried to be sympathetic and caring, but if there`s a hole Danielle will find it. 

On Monday there was no rush to move but later moved and stopped at the waterpoint where Danielle had fallen yesterday. It took a while to fill up with water but when the tank was full travelled along the canal to Alperton where we stopped near Sainsbury's and got a few bits. Later caught a bus to Golders Green and walked around the charity shops. The weather was cloudy and wet which was a contrast to yesterday. Caught the bus back to the boat for drinks and a meal.

I was thinking of where to leave the boat and go home. First thing I did was cycle along the towpath to Kensal Green because I remembered there were lots of moored boats there and the time limit was 14 days. The most difficult part of cycling along the towpath is when coming across a walker with his back to you. In other words, walking the same way. Most walkers hate cyclists, especially in the London area. I didn`t ring my bell in just one case as there was plenty of room and I crept past a man and dog. He was annoyed because I didn`t ring my bell and told me off. I apologised as I could see he was partially sighted and told him I didn`t ring because I didn`t want to startle him. He told me the reverse was true so in future I will always ring the bell.

I found a few places at Kensal Green where there were spaces so rode back to the boat and left Alperton and headed along the canal to Kensal Green. It was a pleasant trip in the sunshine. I was shocked at how much rubbish had been dumped on the towpath by narrowboat owners, but there were not many bins provided, but people should not just leave their rubbish in the bushes.

There were a few friendly faces around, but English seems not to be spoken much in many poorer parts of London these days. I found a suitable place to tie up the boat not too far from the bridge and another Sainsbury`s. store. We had a drink in the Sainbury`s cafe and later we caught a 52 bus to Kensington Gardens and saw Kensington Palace, the Round Pond and the Albert Memorial. All things Danielle had never seen before.  After returning to the boat decided to book the coach back to Southampton for tomorrow. I couldn`t help but notice how fast some of the cyclists were travelling on the towpath at Kensal Green during the busy time or rush hour. There were so many of them and it was dangerous for walkers because they didn`t slow down. I understand a little now how some cyclists get every cyclist a bad name and why pedestrians don`t like them.

 The next day about 11am, caught a bus to Victoria, walked to the coach station and got the coach to Southampton. Walked to the ferry and caught the 4pm ferry to East Cowes. It is always good to arrive home where life is more civilised.

Engine hours 7 this time

 

Saturday, September 28th to Friday 4th October 2019

Purchased my ferry and National Express tickets and left on the 11.30 am ferry from East Cowes and arrived at Victoria Coach Station at 4 pm. Then a 52 bus took me to Kendal Green where I arrived at about 5 pm. Daydream was in order and just as I had left her. Later did some shopping in the local Sainsbury`s and watched TV onboard.

The next day there was no rush to move as I was well the right side of my two-week deadline. After doing a few jobs I cycled into Camden Market and bought some reading glasses. Really kept an eye on my new bike and secured it well after my experience in Uxbridge. The towpath was very slippery after the night`s heavy rain. It was Sunday and there were so many people milling around and a town crier shouting `Oh Yeah` Later cycled back to the boat and in the afternoon caught a bus to Kensington Gardens and went for a walk around the Round Pond. Happy childhood memories of fishing in the Round Pond for stickleback fish, but there were no fish to be seen and `No fishing` notices` now.

On Monday decided to leave Kensal Green and head towards Camden Locks, passing through Little Venice The area has many tourists and people just watch and take photographs of narrowboats passing through the locks. Boaters call them `Gongoozlers` and if you are on your own its not the place to make a mistake when so many people are just watching. Luckily for me, another boat shared the double lock with me. A girl on her own who had been for a two-week cruise to Oxford and along the Thames and lived on her boat in London at Paddington. She told me her rent was over £800 a month which shocked me. I just can`t get used to London prices. I did another few locks with the girl`s boat then she steered her boat into her home mooring which cost her so much. All the time I was looking for somewhere to moor but could not find a place. There are not many boats on the move just moored up. I tried a place but there was nowhere to hammer my pegs as the bank was just concrete. In the process of moving off, I dropped the boat pole in the water which I could see but could not retrieve it. In the end, I just carried on until I arrived at Bethnal Green, Victoria Park. Still no places to moor so I double berthed against a broad-beam boat. It was a good place. Victoria Park was built by the queen of the same name for the people of the East End. It had been a much brighter day and it didn`t rain, unlike yesterday.

The morning was dry and bright and I got up early and with a rope and hook cycled back to where I had lost my boat hook in the canal yesterday. The towpath was slippery and there were many cyclists commuting to work. Many were going too fast on the narrow path. They must do it every day. I found the place and could see the boat hook in the water. I started trying to hook it and eventually succeeded and cycled back to the boat with the boat hook attached along the crossbar. I was delighted to retrieve the boat hook, but not for long. as when I crossed the other boat to get to mine, I slipped and my glasses shot off my nose and went into the canal. Funny, but annoying at the same time. 

Later in the day caught a bus to London Bridge and walked over London Bridge, then along to esplanade and walked over Tower Bridge and then back to London Bridge bus station. The sky was black and there was thunder and lightening. After returning on the bus to Bethnal Green it rained hard and I got soaked walking back to the boat. 

Another bright start to Wednesday morning, the forecast was poor for the rest of the week and beyond. It`s more chilly now aswell. Autumn is really here despite global warming. Left my Victoria Park mooring at 9.30 am and soon reached another lock. There was a Polish man there who didn`t know how to operate a lock although he had bought a cabin cruiser. He also wasn`t sure if it would pass under the low bridges. He appeared anxious so I showed him how to operate a lock, but I`m not sure if he understood.  After the lock, I nearly missed the narrow entrance to the Hereford Union Canal but reversed and entered under a narrow bridge. After three more locks at the junction with the River Lee could see the Olympic Stadium. Had a pleasant passage along the river in the sunshine. Stopped for a shower and cuppa and then continued, but stopped at Lee Valley Marina and filled up with diesel, bought a cylinder of gas and had a pump out. All very expensive, but necessary. Carried on to Tottenham Hale and entered the lock and for the first time, the operation was electronic and I just pushed buttons. After the lock, I saw a space on the bank and tied up and walked into town and did some food shopping. 

The next day stayed on my mooring place and cycled to Waltham Abbey and had a look round. The old Abbey was a ruin an example of Henry`s dissolution of the monasteries. I gave my cousin Sylvia a call and we had a chat although she was suffering from a bad cold. After a coffee cycled back to the boat at Tottenham Hale. After a tea cycled the other way to Limehouse by the River Thames. I walked into the Lock office and enquired about taking the narrowboat into the Thames towards Brentford. Was told I would need a radio and book the passage 24 hours in advance. If I enter the Thames at low water the journey would take 3 hours with a flooding tide. Cycled back through rather depressing scenery to the boat and booked my coach back to Southampton for tomorrow.

Left the boat ready for my departure at 10 am and walked to the underground station and caught a train to Victoria and walked to the coach station. I was booked on the 2pm coach, but the 11 am was just about to leave. I asked expecting refusal if I could travel on the earlier coach and to my surprise, the driver told me I could. I got off the ferry at East Cowes at 4pm, two hours earlier than expected.

Engine use this time: 8 hours

Tuesday 15th October to Tuesday 22nd October 2019

Travelled from the Isle of Wight to Tottenham Hale by ferry, coach and underground. All went smoothly and when I arrived at the boat she was fine, but I had a broad-beam moored on the outside. I was well boxed in, but double berthing is normal. I spoke to my neighbours and told them I did not need to move straight away. I went shopping, organised the boat and watched TV in the evening.

The next day I didn`t move the boat at all. I did some work on the boat. The bilge pump needed some work and the engine department needed cleaning. Everything takes such a long time on the boat. I later went for a cycle ride to Enfield Lock and then in the evening went to Burger King to use their wi-fi, but it was weak so didn`t achieve much as it took ages to get a website. When I mentioned it to the manager he told me free good wi-fi would just attract the youths who would use it and not buy anything but using the seats meant for customers

On Wednesday was going to press on along the River Lee, but couldn't find my windlass anywhere. I don`t remember losing it. I decided to cycle along the towpath and see if I could buy one. I had done this before and been successful. On the way, I met Kevin who lived under a motorway bridge on his boat in a community of strange-looking boats and people. I don`t think many paid their licenses and Kevin told me about boats being taken away and crushed and a 73-year-old man who had had his boat crushed and had lived in a small shed, which he pointed out to me, under the motorway bridge for ten years and showed me a mattress in the rafters of the bridge where another man slept and told me about a Romanian family with children who had lived on the towpath in the open air. I asked Kevin why these people could not be housed by the council. He told me, only asylum seekers got help, whereas indigenous people were not helped in any way when they were homeless. Any way Kevin didn`t have a windlass for sale but told me about a lady called Karen who lived by Alfie's Lock who has found so many left behind by boaters. I cycled to Alfie`s lock and knocked at the cottage door. Karen answered and produced a windlass for £3. I only had a £10 note, so she asked me to put the money through the letterbox when I was passing, which I did.

Later in the day I caught a 76 red bus and visited the London sights and saw Waterloo Bridge and St. Pauls Cathedral and got back quite late to the boat. 

On Friday visited an internet cafe in Tottenham Hale as I didn`t have any internet on the boat and had to sort a few things on the computer. Back at the boat I had the task of getting Daydream from the inside to the outside of the other boat. There was no one on any of the other boats. They had all gone to work. There were so many ropes to handle that I was grateful when Shaun stopped and offered to help. Managed to get out and Shaun pulled the broad-beam into the bank and tied her up. I headed north on the River Lee. The first lock I came to was Stonehouse lock, which I operated using a key. Then it was Alfie`s Lock where I bought the windlass. I slipped the money through the letterbox with a note and I was on my way. There were only a few boats on the move, as most craft were moored with their owners at work. Many people in the London area live on boats because they can`t afford to buy a property. After Ponders Lock and Enfield Lock moored between Waltham Abbey and Waltham Cross. 

On Saturday cycled along the towpath to Stanstead Abbott. The weather was better than forecast. Went into the marina where I had had my previous boat, called `Annabel` lifted out and enquired about winter storage. I was given a quote for storing the boat for January and February. Cycled back and stopped at a canal-side pub, called `The Fish and Eels` and had a beer (unusual) and used their WiFi` Got back to Daydream about 4pm. After some food cycled to Waltham Cross.

Found the cross and discovered it is one of only three left and was erected by Edward 1 in 1291 to commemorate the death of his wife Elenor of Castile. The cross had extensive restoration in the 19th Century.

The next day cycled into Waltham Cross again to buy some food and once back at the boat left for Broxbourne. I had to pass through 4 locks. They were Waltham Town Lock, Waltham Common Lock, Cheshunt Lock and Aquaduct Lock. It was Sunday and there were many people about watching around the locks. I asked several to help me and the children were keen and asked questions. I found a place to tie up in Broxbourne and there were no restrictions so I started to think maybe I will leave the boat and go home. I went to the Crown Pub for a drink and WiFi and booked my journey home.

On Monday I met Ian who had lived on his boat, moored near me with his dog for 7 years. His boat was only half the length of mine. He was also disabled and had a buggy and lived on his own. He looked happy enough and didn`t complain. He confirmed I was on a 14-day mooring. While I was talking to Ian two other boaters came along and began talking about break-ins. It's always a topical subject amongst boaters, but one I don`t like hearing about as I leave my boat and go home. Breaking in must be a rarety, but if anyone breaks into your boat, its classed as burglary and is no different than someone entering your home.

Later I took four sacks of rubbish to the nearest skips which were about 3 miles away at Feilde`s Weir Lock and had to make two journeys on my bike and later cycled along the River Stort which branches off the River Lee and goes to Bishops Stortford, It was very quiet and rural but didn`t cycle too far before I turned back.

On Tuesday I had booked my ticket home so I caught a train from Broxbourne Station at 10.30 am to Tottenham Hale, then by underground to Victoria and walked to the coach station and got the midday coach to Southampton. Got home by 4pm after a smooth journey.

Engine hours only 5

Wednesday 6th November to Monday 11th November 2019

Wednesday 6th November 2019

Left for the boat this morning and arrived at Broxbourne at about 4 pm. The clocks had gone back whilst home and it’s made the evenings dark and long and by about 4.30 pm it was getting dark. The boat was perfect and untouched despite the rain and high winds. I was a bit worried as she had been left on a river rather than a canal, although the River Lee had been canalised with locks so it wasn’t prone to flooding. So no break-ins and no flooding. Whilst away I had booked a winter mooring at Brocksbourne beginning on the 1st December and finishing at the end of February so I won’t have to be forced to return every two weeks when the weather is bad during the winter months.

Thursday 7th November 2019

Got up but didn’t know whether to go North towards Ware and Hertford or go South and back to Waltham Abbey. In the end, I didn’t move the boat but cycled to Ware and Hertford. For some reason, I like to see the place by bike before I take the boat. The day was quite pleasant with some sun and I had a pleasant ride. In Hertford, I had coffee in Sainsbury’s and bought some food. I also called in at the leisure centre and asked if there was a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. The answer was ‘No’ so I asked was there a swimming pool. The answer was ‘Yes’. The two on reception wore bright yellow uniforms but had no social skills. Normally the people on reception tell you all about what’s available. I cycled back to the boat and it was cold, so for the first time for ages, I lit the fire and watched TV.

Friday 8th November 2019

Woke up to a cold cabin despite the fire being on the evening before. Got myself ready and moved the boat from Broxbourne where she had been moored for over 2 weeks. Didn’t travel very far but passed through two locks and tied up at Dobbs Weir. It was good to be on the move again. After tea and porridge cycled back to Tottenham Hale where I bought a few things from Poundland and then tried to find out where the leisure centre was. It proved difficult as no one understood English. I noticed no one wore a poppy, then I saw a lady wearing a poppy so I guessed she was English. She directed me to the centre which I found and went to reception and found out prices and opening times. It was too late to go in as I needed to cycle the 15 miles back to the boat before dark. .... After getting back to Daydream it felt cold on board so I went to the Fish and Eels pub to get warm rather than light the fire......

Saturday 9th November 2019

Didn't move Daydream today but left early and cycled to Tottenham Hale again. I got to the leisure centre at 11 am. Again I tried to get an old man's ticket but because I didn't live in Harrowgate I had to pay the full price. ( being half a Johnson and half a Gould I like to get max for my money) Oh well, I thought it was cold outside and the sauna and steam room would warm me up. It was difficult to make conversation but I had some success. I stayed there for 3 hours but went to the cafe halfway through. At about 3 pm I left bought some shopping and cycled the 15 miles back to the boat. By the time I got there, I was cold again and it was raining. I had some food and changed my clothes and walked to the pub just to warm up again. This trip to the boat I'm doing more cycling than boating.

Sunday 10th November 2019

Woke up and the sun was shining so I cycled along the towpath to see if there was anywhere to moor the boat at Stanstead Abbot as I knew there was a train station there, but everywhere along the bank was taken by boats. I rode back and on the way saw one or two places. Once back at Dodds Weir and Daydream I started the engine and moved off towards the next lock where I stopped and filled up with water, washed the bike and dumped rubbish, although the skip had gone. After passing through the lock I moored up at Rye where I found a railway station. Ideal for leaving tomorrow... I then had a horrible job of unblocking the WC. I had been putting it off. However, the remedy was simple. I rattled the pipes and it cleared straight away. In the evening I went to the Rye Inn to keep warm, but it was too noisy for me with lots of swearing from the football fraternity

Monday 11th November 2019

During the night the wind blew my aerial, poles and Isle of Wight flag into the water and it was a lost. In the morning I organised the boat and caught the train to Victoria, then a coach and ferry and arrived home. In London, canal boats are used as homes so it`s rare to see anyone. This time I was glad to go home as I was cold and lonely. For the first time, I missed the good weather and longer days. For me, it was the beginning of winter and I did more cycling than boating this time.

Engine hours 3

Friday 29th November to Wednesday 4th December 2019

Caught the 10.30 am train and was in plenty of time for my coach to London. The coach was a bit late as there was a terrorist incident on London Bridge and police and sirens everywhere. Caught the train to Ryde House and arrived at the boat after dark. I was glad to discover she was fine and untouched. When I left her I had spoken to another narrowboat owner and he painted a gloomy picture in my head of break-ins, destruction and gipsies camps nearby so I expected disaster and a sinking boat. The weather had turned cold and once the boat was sorted I was freezing, so decided to go to the pub just to keep warm.....Unfortunately, it was Friday night and the football crowd were there shouting with raucous laughter that penetrated my whole body and made me cringe.  

A very cold night and 3degrees in the cabin first thing in the morning. Outside it was very frosty, everything was white. Decided to leave the mooring so untied all the ropes and pushed out, started the engine, but there was no or little drive. Something was wrong. The propeller and shalt would turn then slow and stop. I managed to get back to the bank. I checked the weed box but there was nothing around the propeller. I could not work it out. In the end, I called River Rescue of whom I was a member. They are the AA of the canals. Left details but the engineer was tied up until tomorrow with three jobs and they had a skeleton staff, so will have to wait. The AA would be a little quicker. Went for a ride on the bike then went to the pub for a coffee. It was getting dark by 4 pm and I had achieved nothing all-day

It was not quite so cold in the morning. I drank my usual cup of tea and waited to see if River Rescue would send an engineer to have a look at my gearbox problem. I was surprised to get a call from Jason to say he was on his way. Jason and his son arrived on the towpath and I told them all about the lack of drive I had experienced. They quickly checked the oil in the gearbox and found it was empty. Where had it gone? Jason patiently explained the possibilities to me. He filled the gearbox with fresh oil and the drive ran smoothly again after that. He told me to keep an eye on the oil level which I will do from now on. If it goes down again it could be an expensive job, depending on which seal needs replacing...

Once running again I turned the boat around and headed towards Broxbourne where I had booked a winter mooring. I got to Dobbs Weir and found a space so decided to stay there until Monday morning. I wondered if there was a space on the winter moorings at Broxbourne so cycled to Cheshunt and bought a bit of food from Tesco Express. Passed the winter moorings at Broxbourne and saw one space so hope it’s still there tomorrow...Spent the evening in the Fish & Eel pub with a coffee in front of a fire.

Woke up to a cold cabin, only 2 degrees. Made some tea and tidied up, then about 9.30 am left the mooring at Dobbs Weir moved off towards Broxbourne. Only two locks to pass through so it didn’t take long. Nearly all the winter-moorings were being used except for one space. I edged into it and tied up but it was too shallow and there was a big gap between the boat and the bank. I wasn’t happy but later saw a space on the 14-day moorings so quickly moved up the bank where there was plenty of depth and it was right outside the Crown Inn. I then rang the trust and asked permission to stay there. Very difficult to get a decision and was told the winter mooring department would contact me. I’m sure they won’t as they didn’t last year when I asked to stay in a slightly different place. So I will just stay, at least I’ve tried to get someone to say OK...

Checked the gearbox oil and it was empty. That means it’s leaking somewhere. I found the number of an engineer with 7 years experience and he said he would come and give me an estimate tomorrow. We will see if he turns up. Spent the evening in the pub having coffee but really trying to keep warm.

I had organised Mark an engineer who knows about gearboxes to come at 12 to give me an estimate. I just did some jobs on the boat, plus breakfast and washing up. Mark turned up at 12 on his motorbike with tools ready to start work. It took some time but was all nuts and bolts. I went out on my bike while he was working. By 4pm he had the gearbox out but had to get the seal, then put everything back, so will come back... As I’m leaving and going home I will have to trust him so told him where the spare key was. After a long chat, Mark finally left and I got ready for departure tomorrow, then went into the pub for a coffee, but mainly to keep warm.

Left the boat and walked to the station and bought a ticket to Victoria, by overground then underground. Don’t really understand the trains as you are told on the train you have to have a valid ticket, but you can scan your debit cards in which case you won’t have a ticket to show. Anyway, a ticket collector has never been on the train. Got to Victoria in time to go on the 1pm coach, but the driver wouldn’t let me on unless I changed my ticket from the 2:30pm which costs 5 pounds. There was a massive queue and the coach was going in five minutes. There were plenty of spare seats, but while most drivers are accommodating and just let you get on, there is always the one who sticks to the rule book and I found him today. Anyway, the 2.30pm coach left on time but because of the traffic, Christmas shopping, rail strike and a football match the coach was an hour and a half late reaching Southampton. So didn`t get back to the Isle of Wight until  8.30pm.

Engine hours 4

Saturday 4th January  to  9th January 2020

Journeyed back to Daydream after 4 weeks and 3 days. I had hired a winter mooring and was just going back to check on her. Make sure the boat was in order. I had no intention to move her as I had a good mooring space and I knew if I went for a cruise someone else would take my space. Also, I had had some work carried out on the gearbox and I wanted to check everything was working well.

I arrived at the boat at about 3pm and found Daydream in good order and untouched. I made some tea and by 4pm it was getting dark. These winter days are dreary. Later that evening I went into the pub for a bit of cheer and ordered a coffee.

The next day was Sunday and it was a slow start. I ran the engine for half an hour. It ran well and I checked the gearbox oil and that seemed perfect. Later after a shower and change of clothes, I cycled to Hertford which was about 9 miles. I sat in the Sainsbury cafe, then did some shopping in the supermarket and then returned to the boat before dark. After some food went back to the pub and the proprietor gave me a free coffee. Later returned to the boat and I watched a TV reconstruction of the Profumo Affair from 1963.

The following day I cycled to Walham Abbey and bought a few small useful items from Poundland and then returned to the boat. Once back I rang Jacky at ABNB the broker who I bought the boat from and made some enquiries about selling her later in the year. They were very keen to do so but would prefer to have her back in their marina in the Midlands. Afterwards, I took some bags of rubbish to Feilde`s Lock by cycle to where I knew there was a skip, then cycled along the River Stort for a short distance. I came across Royston Marina where I saw big notices asking boat owners if the marina could sell their boat. I wanted to find out about their terms, but couldn`t find my way into the marina by land. I suddenly wanted to sell Daydream and do something else. I think it was the effect of the lonely dreary life on the canals in winter that made me feel like this.

On Thursday I ran the engine and then cleaned the bilge and swept the twigs off the roof then cycled again to Walham Abbey. Once there I had a coffee in Greggs then did some more shopping. On the way back the wind was behind me but had to avoid dogs off the lead and pedestrians. I saw magpies, swans, and coots, but very few boats on the move. Once back on Daydream I decided to go home tomorrow and booked my coach ticket, then packed my bags.

The next day I caught the train and soon reached Victoria. I was in time to catch the 11am coach. I changed my ticket and the lady coach driver got to Southampton in 2 hours and I was in time to catch the 1.30pm ferry so got home in record time.

Saturday 1st February to Friday 7th February 2020

Saturday 1st February 2020

Caught the 10.30am ferry from East Cowes, then the 12.20am National Express to Victoria Coach Station. Only ten minutes late due to traffic, then an underground to Tottenham Hale where I bought a few supplies, afterwards catching National Rail to Broxbourne. Arriving at 5pm, I found the boat in perfect order and exactly as I had left her four weeks before. I ran the engine to charge the batteries then had something to eat, later watching TV for a while in the evening. It was chilly on the boat but I wore a coat and later made a hot water bottle to keep warm in bed.

Sunday 2nd February 2020

On Sunday cleaned the boat with a damp cloth and vacuum cleaner. To use the vacuum cleaner I have to run the engine and switch the inverter on to get enough power. I later cycled to Waltham Cross and bought a few things. Most of the shops were open. The towpath was puddly and muddy after overnight rain. After returning to the boat I swept the top of the boat as it was covered with leaves and twigs then had coffee in the Crown Inn. Afterwards, I took some bags of rubbish to Feilde`s  lock on the bike

Monday 3rd February 2020

Got up this morning and decided to clean the boat as I had a lady coming at midday to value the boat from Roydon Marina which was not too far away. After vacuuming and sweeping the boat she rang and changed the appointment until Tuesday at 2.30pm. After some breakfast cycled along a muddy towpath to Cheshunt and after securing my bike with two locks to railings, caught the bus to Waltham Cross then another to Edmonton bus station. I was going to Tottenham Hale but decided just to return as I had spied two leisure centres on the way. Returned to the boat then went to the leisure centre at Cheshunt where I had a couple of hours in the health suit getting warm and clean. Returned to the boat after dark and for the rest of the evening watch TV until bedtime.

Tuesday 4th February 2020

Woke up but stayed in bed for a while. Later got up and tidied boat and after breakfast cycled to Fields lock and dumped some rubbish in the overloaded skip. Later returned to the boat then searched for the two local tennis clubs where I thought I would maybe play some social tennis as a guest. At about 2.30pm Sonia from Roydon Marina arrived with Audrey and took down full details about the boat and thought she could sell her on brokerage from the Marina. I agreed to bring Daydream to the Marina the next day and leave her there for sale. After the ladies left I visited the Crown Inn just to keep warm and have a drink. Returned to the boat and lit the fire and relaxed.

Wednesday 5th February 2020

I had arranged to take Daydream to Roydon Marina brokerage. I left the mooring where I had stayed for 2 months outside The Crown at Broxbourne. I untied, started the engine and left. Further along the river, I turned around then headed north towards the River Stort. The day was perfect, no wind, no other boats and bright winter sunshine. After a few locks, I entered the River Stort and after one more lock, I turned into Roydon Marina. There were hundreds of boats all moored up so I stopped at the services pontoon and found my way to the brokers' office where I saw Sonia and Audrey who had visited me yesterday to look at the boat at Broxbourne. After answering more questions and providing more paperwork Sonia showed me to my mooring. I had to have a pump-out and clean the outside of the boat but eventually moored up and had something to eat. I had never been in a canal marina before but in the evening went to the marinas cafe where it was warm and for the price of a coffee could charge my phone, iPad and dongle.

Thursday 6th February 2020

Spent the whole day in the Marina making my boat look buyable by washing it and waxing on the outside. A boat kept in a marina stays clean and is easy to work on. I could spend days just improving its appearance. Later I booked my coach journey home tomorrow so maybe there will be some interest in the boat quite soon. When I sold my previous boat, Annabel she was sold in one week. I have a feeling Daydream will take a little longer.

Friday 7th February 2020 

Returned home today and left Daydream in Roydon Marina under brokerage. I thoroughly cleaned the boat inside and out and placed everything I was not selling with the boat under the bed. They may not sell it and they tell me prices have gone down slightly. It was a good return journey home and got back to the Isle of Wight just after 4pm.


On the 15th February, Sonia from Roydon brokerage phoned me and said she had an offer for Daydream. It was a good offer so I accepted. Daydream had been on sale for a week. 

Sunday 22nd February 2020

I booked the car on the ferry and drove to Roydon Marina with Danielle to collect my possessions and hand the boat over to the new owners. Unfortunately, the people who were buying the boat backed out after paying all the money to the brokers because of acute anxiety. so I just collected my things from the boat. Sonia, the broker assured us that she would sell the boat and this situation had never happened before. Anyway, it was a good day trip and the car was full up when we left with gear that was on the boat.

June 4^th 2020

The boat had been in the marina for nearly two and a half months and up for sale. She was nearly sold twice and then came lockdown and the coronavirus which meant the marina was closed. This resulted in all brokerage activities coming to a standstill.

 The lockdown was then partially lifted at the beginning of June and the boat buying public were allowed to view boats once again. An offer was made for Daydream which I accepted and on the 4^th of June, I drove to the marina to hand Daydream to the new owner.

Phil from  Kent, the new owner of Daydream

The paperwork is completed for the sale of Daydream     

After handover and departure, the batteries were left charging from a mains point on the pontoon. The next day I had a phone call from Phil, the new owner saying the carbon monoxide and smoke alarm had been going off all night and two of the leisure batteries were boiling and making smoke so I assume that`s why the alarms were sounding.  Nothing like this had happened before so am now waiting to find out any damage done and what caused this to happen.  I hope it`s not too expensive to fix. 

We all had to wear masks as the lockdown was still in operation

On Saturday I spoke to Sonia and bought four leisure batteries to replace the damaged ones. I`m not sure what caused the leisure batteries to boil, but I felt responsible so was glad to      replace all leisure batteries on board to start the new owner off without any major problems

The End