The battle to Stamford Bridge

The navigable bit of the River Derwent starts at Barmby Barrage where the river joins the tidal Ouse.

Barmby Barrage on a lovely sunny bank holiday Monday (rare event that, sun on a bank holiday!)

Substantial barrage gates

Lock keeper’s crow’s nest looking out over the Ouse.

When we arrived at Barmby, Rob, the duty lock keeper let us know that it might not be possible to make it up to Stamford Bridge due to a couple of trees blocking the navigation. As we’d planned to go up the Pocklington first and the blockage was after that we put the decision in the ‘think about that later’ box.

Below the Pocklington Canal the Derwent, although fairly narrow, doesn’t seem to present any navigation challenges. It meanders its way past the ruins of  Wressle Castle….

Wressle Castle – not open for public viewing but you can catch glimpses of it from the river or the road

and a few pretty villages….

The church at Bubwith

the inevitable curious cows…..

and the entrance to the Pocklington Canal.

…and then it all starts to get a touch tricky.

The first challenge is Broken Bridge. It’s a bit of a squeeze and we grounded on an obstacle just under the surface. With the current flowing quite strongly against us we weren’t sure that we could make it through but just about managed it.

Then there’s Sutton Lock where the top sluice gate is under the control of the EA and the bottom wooden gates belong to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. Unfortunately they leak like a seive as the Trust just doesn’t have the funds to maintain them. Martin, the EA lockkeeper operates the lock for you although he needs assistance to close the gates. Apparently the bottom gates are bound to fail at some point, becoming so leaky that the lock cannot be filled and making navigation beyond this point impossible.

Martin, Gordon and the bloke who lives by the lock having a gossip while Sutton Lock does its best to fill.

This is the last point at which you can wind before Stamford Bridge so we were a little apprehensive about carrying on as the trees I mentioned earlier hadn’t been cleared. We’d had a chat to a bloke on the Pocklington towpath who’d been up to Stamford Bridge in a plastic cruiser and reckoned we’d probably make it through so we decided to give it a go. This is what we encountered.

Ewn Ha Cul now has a few more battle scars but we did manage to make it through!

There is room there for one or two boats in a disused lock in the middle of the town – no sanitary facilities though so no chance of a long stay! We decided to brave the risk of stuff being chucked at us from the bridge above and moored on the outside of the lock rather than round the corner. Easier to get on and off the boat and MUCH easier to reverse back out!

The journey back down was fairly uneventful. There had been a bit of rain so there was a bit more water in the river and the obstacles weren’t quite as fearsome. Martin, the lock-keeper was incredibly helpful. He even offered to take us shopping when we got down to Barmby just in case we’d run out of provisions – that is customer service!

At Barmby we again met up with Sue and Greg accompanied this time by Greg’s daughter Gabrielle and had a lovely Sunday carvery in The Kings Head. The pub is well worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

Gordon looks like he’s strangling Sue rather than hugging her but they both look happy so that’s OK.

Despite the extra scratches and dings we collected along the way we’re glad we managed to reach Stamford Bridge. With the state of the lock gates at Sutton and the fact that the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust doesn’t seem to have the funds to fix them, I don’t think this journey is going to be possible for all that much longer.

Saying goodbye to Martin as we leave Barmby Barrage and head off down the Ouse

Melbourne by narrowboat?

To be fair that is Melbourne in East Yorkshire rather than the Australian one.

At last we’ve made it to the River Derwent and the Pocklington Canal. It was the only part of the North Eastern waterways that we didn’t manage to complete last year. The weed on the Pocklington is so bad late in the season that navigation is well nigh impossible so we abandoned last year’s attempt with a plan to return early in the season this year.

We booked a passage down the tidal Ouse from Selby on the evening tide last Sunday.

Heading down the River Ouse towards Barmby Barrage on a beautiful evening

The trip up the Derwent always seemed a little daunting when we were planning it. At Barmby Barrage you have to obtain a certificate to  say that your boat complies with anti-pollution requirements. Would our toiletry arrangements meet their approval? Would our engine emissions prove too polluting? We needn’t have worried. The certificate seems to act as a licence from the Environment Agency to use the waterway for a year. You fill in a small form, give the nice man £12 and away you go certificate in hand. Like C&RT lock staff, the Environment Agency lock keepers are extremely friendly and helpful. They were happy for us to moor up for the night on the lock operation pontoon (mind you as we were the only ‘foreign’ boat on the system there wasn’t a great deal of call for its use as anything other than a mooring for us).

Moored at Barmby Barrage (I just had to get picture that included the boat, the barrage and Drax power station – second largest in Europe)

There isn’t really anywhere to moor between Barmby and the start of the Pocklington so we made our way straight up there and moored just after the first lock. The only boats we saw moving all day were two or three canoes and a couple of inflatable dinghies. It’s a lovely spot with a feeling of remoteness and some amazing wildlife. We spotted curlews, kingfishers, marsh harriers, roe deer and even, early in the evening, an otter.

We took an early morning stroll through the mist on the following day.

An experience well worth getting up early for!

The trip up to the current limit of navigation at the village of Melbourne went well until one of the five swing bridges decided to bite back. I let it leave my control a fraction of a second too early and it sprang out taking a chunk out of the wooden rail at the back of the boat and spitting it into the canal. Gordon did manage to retrieve the bits but I’m afraid it’s terminal!

That’ll be a new rail when we get back to civilisation. We were going to have to replace it at some point anyway as a lock on the Calder and Hebble had taken a bite out of the other side last year.

The canal is in water from the Melbourne Arm right up to the terminus near Pocklington although, apart from the end basin, the top mile or so is completely blocked with weed. The tow path is good so, as we were unable to take the boat we decided to walk the four and a half miles to the Canal Head and back.

The Bielby Arm on the un-navigable section of the Pocklington

Four of the seven locks on the disused section of the canal have been more or less fully restored.

Because the canal is unused the abundant reeds provide ideal spots for the local swans to nest.

The Pocklington really is a very beautiful canal.

The top lock where the canal is completely choked with weed.

Canal Head just outside Pocklington and the turning point of our walk. Luckily there was a pub on hand to provide refreshments before the return journey.

Lovely moorings in the Melbourne Arm. These are the only narrowboats we’ve glimpsed on the system and they’re  permanent residents.

We’re up at Stamford Bridge now, but the trip up the Derwent is another story. Despite the loss of the back rail (which could have happened anywhere) we’re very glad we bothered to visit this waterway. It is amazingly beautiful and, due to the lack of visiting boats, incredibly peaceful.

York revisited

This week we’ve pootled down the River Aire and along to the end of the Selby Canal. This stretch of the Aire is incredibly pretty and we really enjoyed the cruise.

Cows playing ‘follow my leader’ along the banks of the Aire

I don’t think I’ll ever get over my fascination with power stations. I love seeing them. Loads of choice in this neck of the woods!

 We moored at Selby and are planning to head off on Sunday down the Ouse towards the River Derwent and the Pocklington Canal. In the meantime we found the temptation to take advantage of a ‘Northern Duo’ return fare to York (£10.50 for us both) too much to resist. I really love that city and could happily visit it any amount of times.

Our first stop was at the York Wheel. It was a beautiful day and the views were spectacular. Well worth the money even though I am a couple of months off getting my pensioner concession.

View of the Ouse and York Minster from the York Wheel

We did resist their souvenir photo pack – we’re perfectly capable of taking our own tacky photographs.

Our next stop was at St Olave’s Church which we hadn’t visited last year. I’m glad we went this time as it’s an absolute gem. The stained glass is beautiful and the ladies who were cleaning the church were happy to provide background information along with the wonderful smell of beeswax.

View of the well polished oak pews with the homely touch of one of the cleaning ladies’ cardies.

We then moved on to York Minster to take advantage of the tickets we bought last September which are valid for a year. As I mentioned in an earlier post the Great East Window of York Minster has been removed for restoration. On our last visit  that end of the Cathedral had been screened off completely. Now they’ve erected an Orb under the site of the window where a selection of restored panels are displayed.

The Orb at York Minster

It was an absolute joy for me to be able to see these incredible pieces at such close quarters.

In this panel St John on the bottom right is being instructed by the Mighty Angel not to record what the Seven Thunders above have said. I reckon this must depict one of the earliest occurrences of censorship! Each restored panel is displayed so that you can examine it in detail.

Beside the panel is a picture taken before restoration with a description of the subject matter and notes on what has been done to restore it as closely as possible to its original state.

There are six panels in all and the central one changes each month. Shame we won’t be close enough to keep visiting as our admission tickets are valid until next September.

After a great lunch of bangers and mash at The Drop Inn which is allegedly on the site where York villains were hanged. On the recommendation of friends Sue and Greg, we ended the trip with a visit to York Dungeons. We really didn’t know what to expect but had a wonderful time. On this occasion we were tempted by the tacky souvenir photo and bought a fridge magnet. This is one shot we would never have managed to take ourselves!

Gordon was told to look scary and pulled off a passable Bond villain sardonic evil look. I descended straight into Carry On camp.

Posh ploughman’s on the poop deck

It was a lovely day today and we moored up early on the visitor moorings at Beal Lock on the river Aire – a really peaceful spot.

Time for a posh ploughman’s on the poop deck.

Only a couple of things missing…..

…us and some beer. Perfect now!

Happy May Day everyone.

A trip to London

Last weekend we put the boat in a marina and headed down to London to go to a birthday party.  We had the whole of Friday night and Saturday day time to play with and managed to fill every spare minute.

We did some sightseeing. The weather was brilliant so we were able to wander around happily without getting drenched or frozen. This was my first time seeing The Shard. We didn’t have time to take in the view from the top – definitely something I’d love to do in the future.

View of The Shard

Reflection of The Shard

This looks like a great way to sight see – shame about their taste in beer.

Fantastic fishies atop the Old Billingsgate Fish Market

Vauxhall Bridge with the MI6 building

We went to Borough Market -one of my favourite London experiences. Luckily for the bank balance and much to Gordon’s relief we weren’t able to buy too much as we’d have had to keep it for a day and then cart it back to Doncaster on the coach.

Having seen what happened to the langoustine the gurnard’s looking a little alarmed.

Garlic anyone?

Not a stray apostrophe in sight!

Perhaps I should have asked her to say cheese?

Looks a lot more tempting than the average supermarket offering!

We managed an evening of drinking and eating with Ian and Shona on Friday night. It was great to spend some time with them and have a proper catch up before the mayhem of the party on Saturday.

Gordon & Ian in Cask

My grandson Jamie behind the bar in Cask – a great pub in Pimlico if you like real ale

 

Ian, Shona and I in the Stormbird in Camberwell. I loved those beer glasses.

We ate at Pasha which was where we were staying for the weekend. It’s the first time any of us had tried Kazakh cuisine and we were all very impressed.

The restaurant in the Pasha Hotel, Camberwell

Finally we got to the point of the visit – Shona’s Birthday Party and a very good party it was too.

Happy Birthday Shona!

Thank you Shona and Ian for making our weekend so enjoyable!

…and locking down the other side

Going down towards Sowerby Bridge on the Rochdale is a completely different experience to the urbanised climb out of Manchester. The scenery is so much more beautiful…

…and the towns you pass through are much more attractive.

Leaving Hebden Bridge

The route through the Pennines is shared by road rail and canal and they frequently run side by side all taking the path of least resistance.

A steam train choo choo’d by while we were just about to go under this viaduct…

…and a local resident examined us carefully before losing interest and going back to lunch.

The last 4 locks on the canal are thankfully controlled and worked by a lock-keeper (ably assisted by his large friendly hound).

Locks 3 and 4 have been merged into one deep lock

from which you emerge straight into a tunnel.

It’s a relief to be sure that you’re not going to meet someone coming the other way!

This final milepost marks the end of the Rochdale and the beginning of the Calder & Hebble navigations.

Just 32 miles travelled in a week – it surely feels like a lot more than that!

 

Locking up the Rochdale Canal

We had a brilliant stay in Manchester in the New Islington Basin but were a touch nervous about heading off up the ‘Rochdale 18′ through suburbs that have a bad reputation for theft and vandalism. You have to book your passage up as the first and last locks in this flight are secured by special CRT locks. Mike from CRT met us on time, opened the bottom lock, gave us his phone number in case of problems and sent us on our way with a cheery wave – I don’t think he expected to hear from us quite as soon as he did!

The pound above the second lock up was completely empty. Not an auspicious start.

Mike was back in a flash and he and his mate drove up several locks to start letting water down and closing paddles that vandals had left open. On their way they found the Firefly – a small narrowboat who had ‘sneaked’ onto the flight the night before not being aware of the booking system. All the locks on the Rochdale leak and the bottom one is no exception. John and Andrina from Firefly entered the lock and simply waited for the leaking water to fill it and allow them to leave avoiding the necessity of opening the locked paddles – apparently it took an hour! They then proceeded to moor for the night in one of the worst sections. Mike and his mate were amazed that they’d survived without any problems – putting it down to a combination of a cold night and the Man U Man City football match being on the telly.

Still, it was good news for us as we could double up and get through the remaining 16 locks quick smart.

Sharing the workload with John & Andrina from Firefly

We moored for the night a few locks up above the ’18′ near the Rose of Lancaster pub but wished we’d gone on a bit further as we did have a couple of kids lobbing stones at the boat on their way past along the towpath. No damage done though and, considering that section of the canal’s fearsome reputation, I reckon we got off pretty lightly.

From there on the canal becomes increasingly rural. The locks are large, heavy and hard work but they were nowhere near as bad as my imagination had painted them.

As we got towards the summit it became noticeably colder as well as more beautiful and there were still quite a few patches of lying snow.

The long pound at the summit of the Rochdale Canal

Only 36 locks to go to get to Sowerby Bridge and complete the Rochdale!