I'm sure the solar will work if it ever brightens up

Well three nights in Market Drayton and I lost count of the number of times we walked there and back. We were there for market day on Wednesday and at least a few places were open, but on Thursday it was like a ghost town again. We have had our solar panels fitted, by Tim from on board solar. http://www.onboardsolar.co.uk/index.php I'm sure they will work when we get some sun!

Spot the difference

So today we left and had a steady run to Audlem. I am trying to update the blog in the Shroppiefly but there seems to be some sort of data limit on the free wifi and I have no service, so will have to try again another time on the run in to Liverpool.

 

Thats not weed in the weed hatch.

Well on Saturday we decided that valour was the better part of discretion and headed off to Birmingham and the famous Gas Street Basin. It rained for most of the journey then stopped once we'd arrived, which is typical.

Weather for not even fit for ducks

1st visit down the weed hatch of the trip. Thick plastic packaging and no weeds. I got lost in Birmingham only to discover I was only 200 yards from where I'd set off. Gas Street is well worth a visit, but was noisy at 3am Sunday, but just high spirits and no ropes untied, so gas street survived.

Gas Street

Our next destination was Wolverhampton. The canal to Wolverhampton from around Dudley and on was filthy. But still we saw some miserable fishermen and I know that's a stereotype but look

Not all like that?

From the canal, the route into Wolverhampton is quite a depressing site, with decaying industry all around. Three trips down the weed hatch doesn't help with such delights as under wear, plastic, tinsel and god alone knows what. That night we moored at the top of the flight and went to a local pub the Great Western. What a lovely local, the beer was good and then later they brought out a sharing plate of food for each table, including ham, cheese, black pudding, pork pie and various pickles and bread. We were with Dave who has a web site which tells you all about canal side pubs a subject in which he is a bit of an expert. You can find his website here http://www.canalandriversidepubs.co.uk/

To avoid the "nutters" on the 21 lock Wolverhampton flight we were away early (07{50) and managed Wolverhampton to Gnosall on the Shropshire Union by 18:00. Another weed hatch visit, but something useful found a newish fender.

For anyone thinking of doing parts of the BCN, I would recommend the following attire as modelled by a passing male model we spoke to.

When searching for an arm length rubber glove, however, please be very careful with the links you select!! For this type of work, ones without diamantes or studs are best.

So today we have moved to  Market Drayton. As a town it appears to have been badly hit by recession. We took Eric and Wilma to the vets on the way

The Shroppie is certainly a lovely canal with a deep cuttings snd tall bridges and long deep straights

Nearly in Brum

Well we are nearly in Birmingham. Heavy rain stopped play for today.

Happy birthday Keith.

Thursday we tackled the Hatton flight. No problem we thought we have done the Cean hill plenty of times. However all locks are different and this was our first time up hill on the Grand Union. As I got off and was attaching the centre line because we were on our own, the lock keeper suggested to Grainne that it may be best if I jumped back on and they operated the first lock. So with no centre line attached we went up the first lock. What a difference to the K&A the ground paddle water flow simply holds you to the side, no fuss no panic. Great stuff

Grainne listening to advice

And the two lock keepers stayed with us all the way to the top, helping us up in very short time, with a stop half way for a sarnie. I gave the guys a couple of cans of beer each for their help. It had been an education and we very much appreciated their assistance. Part way up it started to rain very heavily and that continued for the rest of the day. We finally stopped at Kingswood, very wet. No internet again!

The flight

On our way to the flight we passed President on its way to Crick.

Today we have not gone far but are now on the Stratford and Avon canal about half way along having done the 21 lock flight in the morning and then the heavens opened. Narrower and shallower our progress was slower. Lovely canal though in the rural section.

We are now weighing up options for Birmingham on the bank holiday weekend, will we survive a Saturday night at Gas Street Basin? Only time will tell.

Threes service is very patchy

Excuses, excuses, excuses. It wasn't me guv it was the kit, but it is; the 3 network is very patchy so not able to post . As soon as service gets better I will add some details and photos. Basically we have moved from the Thames, up the Oxford Canal and are now on the Grand Union. We should be going up the Hatton Flight tomorrow in the pouring rain. We have now covered 114 miles and 96 locks and have 190 miles and 128 locks to go to Liverpool. We have decided to do 66 more locks because of Eric (is that wise?) but more about that when I have better service.

Its actually holding up so here goes

We left Abingdon on the 16th May and went to Oxford where we moored just below Osney  Bridge, the original #an~er filter.

Some were pleased to see us leaving the Thames

Eric has had to have a biopsy on his back leg and we are hoping its not a return of mast cell.

On Saturday we left the Thames and went back to the muddy ditch in the Oxford guise

The oxford was quite an experience very shallow and progress is slow, well at its own pace, each canal seems to have one of its own. Mooring next to the railway station in Lower Heyford might not of been the best idea but a BBQ followed by a wander to the pub, seemed to eliminate the noise! Pub seemed ok but wouldn't eat there.

On Sunday we travelled to Banbury, which is about the best town centre mooring we have found. Someone at the council must have a bit of nouse and has put moorings in the centre to encourage boats to stop.

Well it worked for us had tea at the Old Auctioneer pub.

Monday was an easy day. Grainne bought some new sandals in Banbury, along with other bits and bobs. We topped up with fuel and had an easy cruise to Cropedy where we moored below the lock. Eric re-joined us after his traumas in Didcot at the vets and we all went for tea at the Red Lion. Eric soon had all the locals cooing and walked around as if he owned the place.

Tuesday - Well we have to start putting in some miles so 15 miles and 16 locks to get to the bottom of Napton flight. They had been shut in the morning and people were queuing for 4 hours, we sailed down in an hour. We met the grumpiest people yet, some Canadians, who refused to speak to anyone. Strange really. On the trip we had to avoid a careering hire boat and hit a very shallow bit of the canal which put us on a serious lean and we lost a French press, glasses, mugs and Erics confidence. Fortunately Wilma is still watching my back. Had tea at the pub (Folly Arms) again.

OH and I did mention Eric's back (sorry couldn't resist)

Today we have done 11 miles and 23 locks and are now on the Grand union Canal. Its a broad canal like the K&A but seems in much better condition and is better dredged it seems. Had to open a bottle of bubbly, to celebrate: Our boy has not got cancer!!!!!! Tomorrow the infamous Hatton flight.

One last pic of a fisherman preparing himself

From Newbury to Abingdon

You will never ever bottom all the jobs that need doing on a boat, so after two weeks in the marina at Newbury trying we set off for adventures new.

The marina and me messing with the new camera's panoramic setting

On the first day we decided to head for Theale, however, when exiting Old Heale's lock I noticed a strange rattling noise had developed and moored in Woolhampton to find out what was up. The alternator and water pump fan belt idle roller bearings were shot. I swapped over with the generator roller but by then it was too late to carry on so we stayed there over night. Perfect end to the day as we saw Eddie and Smudge leading Pat and Malcom down the tow path to see us as they had not had chance to say goodbye before we left. It was lovely to see them. We cracked open another bottle of fizzie (there have been lots of reasons recently) then went off to the pub to eat. (Good but small portions; Grainne did something she has never done before and asked for more).

The next day we travelled with NB Camali with Dave and Eileen, who have been living aboard for 8 years and had a really good cruise through to reading where we moored just behind the jail. Dave and Eileen invited us onboard their boat for a drink that evening and offered us lots of good advice for living on a boat.

Passing through Theale

Tuesday saw us dropping onto the Thames, destination Wallingford. At Mapledurham a squeaking noise developed again in the area of the fan belt roller, so instead of Wallingford we nursed the boat to Goring where we stopped and stripped everything down again. No damage found, but, you do not want your water pump stopping on the river! Goring is a very pretty place and that night we went for a beer in the John Barleycorn Pub. Eric and Wilma were made very welcome as were we and we had a good night chatting to the locals and learning all about micro pubs, something we new nothing about. The two guys we were chatting to were planning a Pub walk along the heritage coast in Wales, starting out at Southerndown, what a small world.

Goring

Wilma and Eric concerned about the fan belt situation

Wednesday then we travelled from Goring to Abingdon, which at 19 1/2 miles and 6 locks is quite a long way in a narrowboat against the flow. Here we moored by the swimming pool and shortly afterwards Stephan arrived with the spare parts I had ordered form Beta Marine. Ate at the DilRaj  and can thoroughly recommend it.

Thursday is a day of leisure, well fitting the spare bits, updating the blog, fitting some centre line fairleads, designing a diesel lock, etc etc. Grainne has been picked up by Jackie for a hair cut and Maggie called with Keith, Janet and Burt to find out where we were.

Tomorrow we hope to be off the Thames and on the Oxford Canal.

How we ended up here

Our original intention was to move onto the boat in May and put our house up for sale this summer, as I mentioned in an earlier post, however, our adventure has started much quicker than we could have imagined. Following the England vs Wales game at Twickenham (mid March) we arrived home to find a letter through the door. We at first thought it was a circular and nearly binned it, but looking at it again it had a little comment on it saying hand delivered. Intrigued we opened the letter to find it was from a family who were keen to move to Southerndown and were interested in buying our house, the details of which were still lurking in zooplas depths, despite the fact it was off the market. To cut a long story short, they visited, loved the house, well it was a lovely house, and have bought it. In the craziest 7 weeks of our lives we are now on our boat as full time liveaboards.

Of cause we could have put an offer in on a house by the Thames like this little number, but, I suspect our offer may have been rejected

So instead we are living on the boat currently moored in Abingdon

And it certainly cheaper to run.

Our very good friends Paul and Jackie gave up their time to help us realise our dream and without them things could never have happened so quickly as they did. Jackie is an ebay grand master and listed (and still is listing) many of our possessions. Lots of others have gone to charity and I hope find good homes, others are with friends and neighbours. We were also extremely lucky to have great neighbours in Bob and Jackie who tirelessly ferried 30 odd years of horded junk to the tip for us.

Will try and update Thursday

Sorry there have been no updates, we have been quite busy. I will try and update on Thursday. We are on the Thames making our way to Oxford, currently on the moorings at Goring and hoping to be near Abingdon tonight. Some mechanical problems have slowed us down somewhat and we have been cautious because of this on the river.

Live Aboards

We are officially live aboards. Will elaborate when time allows