.."it all happened quite by chance

During the week that we spent in Manchester, we made the most of our time, visiting art galleries and museums as well as simply taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Ian found a Chinese restaurant above the Wing Yip supermarket and was determined to partake of their excellent Dim Sum. Of course, I would never disagree with my beloved husband so without too much persuasion, I joined him - not once but twice!

Gay Village - Manchester

All too soon it was time to set off again. With the closure of the Bridgewater canal near Castlefield in Manchester, we had a 95 mile detour to look forward to. This would take more then two weeks, so we thought we had better get started!

Much of the detour would be retracing our steps of the past few months and I didn't think that I would have a lot to write about, however it was certainly not uneventful, so much so that I hardly had time to write about it all. Well here goes ...

On Sunday afternoon we moved the boat from New Islington Marina on the Rochdale to Piccadilly Village on the Ashton Canal - a move of less than a mile with two locks - in order that we could get an early start up the Ashton flight. No sooner had we moored then Janice and Keith on narrowboat Bob moored behind us - they were on their way into Manchester. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening chatting to them and we were even joined on the towpath by one of the residents of the nearby apartments. Very sociable!

The Ashton canal is a short stretch of only six miles from Piccadilly Village to Portland Basin but this includes a flight of sixteen locks. On that first day (10th August) we were only going as far as Fairfield Junction and the Droylsden Marina. Contrary to most horror stories, the passage up the flight was uneventful but as we arrived in the marina shortly before noon, the heavens opened and dropped a deluge on top of us. We were soaked to the skin within a few minutes. Happy Boating.

We had the afternoon to look around and were pointed in the direction of the Fairfield Moravian Church, a congregational settlement that opened in 1785.
The settlement, built by its own people had all that a self-contained congregation would require. Besides the church there was a farm, a bakery, a shop, an inn, a laundry, a school, even a fire-engine, a physician, a night-watchman and much more. This sculpture is at the entrance to the settlement.
There was also a museum, but unfortunately it is only open on a Saturday, however we found the settlement intriguing enough.

Early morning mist on the Marple Aqueduct

Before we reached the Peak Forest Canal we had been warned that passage through lock 14 of the Marple flight was restricted (my heart sank, this is exactly the sort of news that we didn't want to hear) Fortunately, we found that the flight hadn't been shut. CRT were investigating a problem with lock 14 and were simply taking precautions. Nevertheless, we moored before the Marple Aqueduct so that we could get an early start up the flight the next morning.

And the day just got better as we ascended the flight. The picturesque setting was more impressive in the early morning light

At the top of the Marple Flight we left the Peak Forest Canal and turned onto the Macclesfield. Daniel, our grandson was going to spend time with us for the school holidays so we made arrangements to meet his parents, Tanya and David in Macclesfield on the weekend. this gave us a few days to spare so we moored in Macclesfield and made use of the extra time getting domestic chores (like laundry etc.) up to date.

Daniel was eager to do some boating (and fishing) so after a lovely Sunday lunch we said goodbye to Tanya and David as they made their way home to Chippenham and we set off down the canal heading for the top of Bosley locks. No sooner had we stopped for the evening, then Daniel set up his fishing stool. Sadly, no fish for dinner yet!

However, the following day, after working hard on the Bosley flight of 12 locks Daniel once again set up his fishing stool as soon as we moored up. it wasn't long before he successfully landed this beauty.

Les and Chris on narrowboat Eleventh Heaven had been similarly stopped in their tracks by the stoppage on the Bridgewater canal. As we negotiated the 95 mile (82 lock) detour, they were doing the same but from the opposite direction. We met at Porters Farm Bridge and aqueduct (on the Macclesfield canal) on Monday 17th August. Les and Chris had arranged to meet up with friends Doug and James on narrowboat Chance for the Manchester Pride celebrations on the August bank holiday so as they had quite a few miles and locks to put behind them they could only stop for that evening. The weather was good to us so we sat on the towpath enjoying the late afternoon calm. Predictably, after spending time with our friends, my cheeks ached from laughing and my jaws ached from talking. Not to mention, my head throbbed from consuming too much red wine!

In the morning, we left in different direction. Who knows when we will meet again! As it happened it was not to be very long, but I get ahead of myself!

Later that day we moored at Red Bull Aqueduct at the end of the Macclesfield canal. It had been an easy day and we stopped early so that we could do some shopping for provisions. It was here that we met Gary and Julie in narrowboat The Ellie Grace. Gary and Julie were going in the same direction as we were on the Trent & Mersey canal towards Anderton and on to the Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook, so for the next week we travelled together sharing locks and swapping stories.

Daniel was an absolute star as he helped around the locks. Not only did he help me but he also helped other boats. In Middlewhich we were in a queue of nine boats all waiting to get through the locks and Daniel was helping alongside me as we got other boats through as quickly as possible. Poor chap was exhausted at the end of the day when we moored in Anderton!

At the Anderton Lift

The weather wasn't the best with a forecast of rain, rain and more rain so we decided to stay in Anderton for the weekend. We could then explore the Anderton Lift and museum with Daniel without being hampered too much by the rain.

Gary & Julie's family

And we were invited to share Sunday lunch with Gary and Julie's family at the Stanley Arms.








Our time with Daniel was coming to an end. His mum and dad thought that traveling on the bank holiday was ludicrous - and I must admit, I agree. Since his mum Tanya had to be in Birmingham for business, David decided to drive the extra hour and a half to collect Daniel. But that also left us with options. Les and Chris had previously asked us if we would like to join them in Manchester for the Pride parade, now we had the opportunity to accept the invitation.

The Bridgewater canal link was still closed so we couldn't get the boat into Castlefield Basin, we would have to leave her near Waters Meeting and take a tram, but besides that it was only Wednesday; we had time to kill before the weekend. We said goodbye to Gary and Julie as they continued onto the Leeds & Liverpool canal on their way to Salthouse Dock in Liverpool and we found a lovely mooring near Dunham Town Bridge. As it happened, Dunham Massey a deer park was within walking distance so we had loads to occupy our spare time - besides some odd jobs that always want doing.

We had only been on our new spot for an hour or so when we were astonished to see old friends wandering down the towpath. The narrowboat Aussies Bron and Bob on Celtic Maid, and Julia and Malcolm on Figment were moored just out of sight, around the corner. Naturally we all got together on Figment for 'Happy Hour'

The following day, the lads went off to 'play'. They found a brewery that was begging to be visited, and the girls went in the opposite directing, heading towards the deer park. I had left my camera on the boat but I was determined to get a photo of the deer using my mobile phone. I was so intent in 'sneaking up' on a lovely deer that I failed to see a large dry branch lying in my path. I stepped on the branch and the loud crack startled the deer. It was further surprised by an even louder roar of laughter from my companions who just loved my fail attempt at stealth. Needless to say, all I managed to capture on my phone camera was the rear end of the deer as it wandered off, nibbling on the grass between steps!

Friday morning, we all parted company again, heading in different directions.

First, Julia and Malcolm passed on narrowboat Figment...

...followed shortly by Bron and Bob on Celtic Maid. Ships that pass in the night (or rather, narrowboats that pass in the morning). That is the way of this nomadic life.


Still on the Bridgewater canal, we headed towards Waters Meeting. The Bridgewater link with Manchester was still closed and we didn't want to simply leave the boat on the outskirts of the city unattended so we put the boat into Stretford Marina (about 1/2 mile from Waters Meeting). here we would be able to use the metrolink tram into Castlefield where Les and Chris were moored.

Our detour was now complete. We had covered the 95 miles and 82 locks in a 20 days.

Narrowboat Eleventh Heaven (Les and Chris) had met up with James and Doug on narrowboat Chance as well as Andy and Rich on narrowboat Carpe Diem, so when we arrived in Castlefield on the Saturday to meet them all we had a lovely warm welcome celebrated with coffee and cake on board narrowboat Chance before we set off for the start of the parade.

Manchester Pride is an annual Pride festival and parade held over the August bank holiday weekend. It is one of the longest running in the country and attracts thousands of visitors to the city's gay village. Pride parades are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture and pride.

In 1989 the Northwest Campaign for Lesbian and Gay Equality organised Manchester's first documented 'Celebration of Gay an Lesbian Diversity'. However, earlier than that (sometime in the mid-1980's) the event began as a jumble sale outside the Rembrandt Hotel. It's purpose was to raise funds for AIDS and HIV causes. In 1991 the event was expanded to include a full program of activities and was christened 'The Carnival of Fun Weekend' and on the Monday night the celebrations ended with a firework display funded by the North West Development Agency. Good-Luck telegrams were received from Diana princess of Wales as well as other high-profile people.

Over the following years the event grew and was known as Madi Gras but went through 'ebbs and tides' with regard to the success of fund raising. At the closing of the 2003 parade it was announced that the event would be known as Manchester Pride and in 2007 it became a charity in its own right.

We enjoyed our day at the parade, but more so we enjoyed our time with old friends and new and we were reluctant to leave. As luck would have it, the link on Bridgewater Canal re-opened to allow boats into Castlefield basin so on Monday morning, we moved our boat and moored near the other three, Eleventh Heaven, Chance and Carpe Diem. We were then able to join Les & Chris, Doug & James and Andy & Rich for the candlelight vigil and firework display that marked the end of the Manchester Pride celebrations on Monday evening.

And so it was that we crossed paths with Les & Chris on nb Eleventh Heaven, Julia & Malcolm on nb Figment and Bron & Bob on nb Celtic Maid. In addition we made new friends; Gary & Julie on nb The Ellie Grace, James & Doug on nb Chance and Andy & Rich on nb Carpe Diem. None of that may have happened if the Bridgewater Canal had not been closed and we were forced to make a long detour.

Life does take some strange but wonderful turns.

Rochdale Canal - Manchester or Bust!

The Rochdale Canal, a stretch of 33 miles and 92 locks, crosses the Pennine and connects the Calder & Hebble navigation at Sowerby Bridge in West Yorkshire to the Ashton and Bridgewater canals in Manchester, Lancashire.

This is a canal that is like Marmite... you either love it or you hate it and at times we did both!

Forming part of the South Pennine Ring, the Rochdale canal was re-opened to full navigation in July 2002 and is one of the latest canals to be restored.
Between the 1980's and the 1990's small scale work began to open stretches of the canal between Todmorden and Sowerby Bridge but it was only after restoration work had been completed on many of the locks and bridges and the last obstacles removed during the simultaneous construction of the M60 and M62 motorways that the full navigation was opened. Almost 200 years after its initial opening.

One inspiring project was the Tuel Lane deep lock and tunnel that was built to replace two locks in an in-filled section of the old canal. Now with a drop of nearly 20ft the Tuel Lane Deep Lock is the deepest on the canal system today. There is a lock keeper (Billy) on duty to assist boaters through this section.

In 1766, just a few weeks after plans for the Leeds & Liverpool canal had been launched, a group of businessmen met to propose a shorter canal route via Rochdale. However, the initial plans lost momentum and when interest was re-ignited, the Duke of Bridgewater stepped in and refused to allow the canal to join with his Bridgewater canal. Plans were once more shelved until a rival company (the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Company) proposed an eastwards connection that would run to the north of Rochdale. The Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Company were also considering a link to the Leeds & Liverpool canal and the Duke of Bridgewater realised that this would take trade away from the Bridgewater canal. He reversed his decision and agreed to the connection with the Rochdale. A revised Rochdale Canal Bill was passed in 1794.

The canal was completed and opened through to Manchester in 1804 making it the first trans-Pennine Canal route. The Leeds & Liverpool, a much longer Trans-Pennine route wasn't opened until 1816.

We joined the Rochdale Canal at Sowerby Bridge and after spending a few weeks moored in the basin it was time to move on again and see what the new canal had in store for us.

While refuelling, we discovered that 6 boats from Shire Cruises boat hire were about to be going out in our direction so we thought we would go through the Tuel Lane Deep lock and tie up until the flotilla had passed. We spent a pleasant afternoon chatting to Billy, the lock keeper and watching the world - and 6 boats filled with excited holiday makers - go by.

Tuesday morning, 21st July, after a hearty breakfast in the market place, we set off. We had been warned that the canal was shallow just before Hebden Bridge so we knew we had at least three miles and two locks before we came to that pound, However, nothing prepared us for the adventure we were to have!

As we reached lock 5 I noticed one of the hire boats from the day before, moored between locks 5 and 6. I remember thinking that they hadn't got very far the day before. We soon discovered that there was a good reason for that.

The cill on the lock had failed and resulted in the pound above it draining. Five of the six hire boats were grounded in the pound.

It would take another 4 days for the lock to be repaired and we could do nothing more than wait.

Making the most of our unplanned stay, Ian found a bus time table and the next day we took the bus over the Pennines to Haworth, the last home of the Bronte sisters. The bus ride took us through lovely countryside with breath-taking views over the hills. That in itself was worthwhile.

On arriving, we made a bee-line for the information centre where we were almost overwhelmed with information on places to visit, walks to follow, and the steam train that runs in the Worth Valley. We were spoilt for choice!

Haworth

Haworth is a lovely town with amazing views and it has built its current prosperity on tourism. The beautiful cobbled high street is festooned with coffee shops and tea rooms and there are a number of pubs all vying for the tourist trade. Certainly very different from the time when the Bronte family lived there.


Looking down the length of the high street, the magnificent views can't be missed.

(For more details, see previous blog "...And then there was none - Stranded on the Rochdale canal")

Hebden Bridge

After the 4 day wait, the lock was repaired and we continued into Hebden bridge. Personnel from C&RT had asked us to give the canal a chance to recover its water levels before we continued so we spent the weekend moored in the town basin. This gave me a chance to get the laundry done and also for us to sample a 'Sunday Lunch' at a local pub.

The start of a new week, Monday 27th July we untied the mooring ropes and once again, full of expectation, we set off. This time we were only able to get through two locks and less than 1/2 mile before we ran aground again.

To begin with it was quite a difficult situation as Ian was on the boat and couldn't get off while I was off the boat and couldn't get on. A man living alongside the canal helped us get the bow closer into the bank; close enough to get the boarding plank to bridge the gap.

By this time I was quite frustrated. It had taken us six days to go all of 6 miles work only 11 locks. We still had 27 miles and 81 locks to go.

We had no choice but to call C&RT to help. In 17 years of boating, this would be the second time we had resorted to calling the C&RT help line - the first being on the Huddersfield canal only a few weeks before!
The problem this time was the state of locks 11 and 12. They were both in such bad repair that they were leaking water and overnight most of the water in the pound had drained away. More water had to be sent down the canal, lock by lock, in order to fill that section again. It wasn't till nearly 6:00pm that enough water had been sent down the canal to get us afloat, but by that time, the C&RT crew were going off duty. I was afraid that during the night we would lose that water again and be back to square one. With only a few hours of daylight left, Ian and I were determined to get out of this pickle. We certainly didn't want to be sitting aground in the middle of the pound all night and we didn't want to have to start again the next day! The only solution was to pick up where the C&RT crew had left off. Since they had brought the water so far, we would have it! After calling the emergency line again and being promised more help, I went ahead to open the lock paddles to let the water into the pound. Ian waited for the water to arrive and lift the boat off the bottom of the canal then managed to move the boat along inch by painful inch. To make matters worse, it had started to rain!
Billy ( the lockie from Tuel Lane Deep Lock) was on call-out duty and arrived about an hour later. With his help we managed to get Winedown above the problem area. Totally exhausted and soaked to the skin, we all called it a day and just as the light was failing we moored below lock 14. Our progress for the rest of that day? Another 2 locks and 2 miles.

By the morning more help had been provided and water levels restored, so we pushed on, aiming for the summit. (We later heard that the canal had been closed at the section in order to repair locks 11 and 12)

As we climbed higher and higher, leaving first Hebden Bridge and then Todmorden behind, the views became more spectacular. However, once again, exhaustion got the better of us and forced us to stop at lock 29. Frustratingly we were only 2 miles and 9 locks from the summit but we were physically drained and couldn't summon another ounce of strength to continue.

 

By morning, after a goodnight's sleep we were ready to continue our odyssey and under a brooding sky, slipped the mooring ropes and set off....

... and later that day, Wednesday 29th July, we reached the summit. The views were well worth all the heartache.

Over the top and down the other side ...

... between lock operations we could certainly appreciate the scenery.














Richard and Ian in New Islington - Manchester

But the Rochdale Canal is not an easy navigation. It is physically exhausting and relentless, and we were very grateful for Richard's help as he assisted us down the last 18 locks into New Islington, Manchester. Only 9 more locks and two miles to complete the Rochdale Navigation!

(Richard works for C&RT and is on hand to help boaters if required. Thank you very much for your help)

But our story didn't end there! No sooner had we moored for the day and said goodbye to Richard, when we heard that the Bridgewater canal (at the point where the Rochdale joins the Bridgewater) would be closed for a minimum of 4 weeks! This was due to a collapsed derelict building on the canal side. The building would have to be demolished before the canal would be opened again.

So near yet so far!



We had three options...
1) wait for 4 weeks;
2) go back the way we had come;
3) divert onto the Ashton navigation and back to the Peak Forest and Macclesfield.

The last option (and really our only option) would give us a round trip of 92 miles and 85 locks that would take us approximately 2 weeks!

Through Manchester's Gay Sector

First, we would stay put in Manchester and take the time to visit museums and art galleries while we recharged our batteries (and do some obligatory maintenance)!

... And then there was none - Stranded on the Rochdale canal

Boater and Son statue at Sowerby Bridge

We had been moored in the basin at Sowerby Bridge for nearly 2 weeks while we visited family, but on returning to the boat I was itching to get going again.

Sowerby Bridge is at the start of the Rochdale canal so it was to be a new canal for us to explore.

While refuelling, we discovered that 6 boats from Shire Cruises were about to be going out in our direction so we thought we would go through the Tuel Lane Deep lock and tie up until the flotilla had passed. We spent a pleasant afternoon chatting to Billy, the lock keeper and watching the world - and 6 boats filled with excited holiday makers - go by.

Tuesday morning we had a hearty breakfast in the marketplace before setting off. Two full English breakfasts plus coffee for a total of £5.60 It was almost as good as the price we paid in Spain!

Finally, we set off in good spirits. The first mile and a half was mostly through the edge of industrial land with residential properties clinging precariously to respectability, but soon the countryside started to open up and we were rewarded with lovely views.




We had mapped out an easy day with our first stop being Hebden Bridge and although we had been warned that in places the canal was shallow just before that, we were sure that we had at least three miles and two locks before we came to the shallow pound.

Three miles along the Rochdale canal, we reached lock 5. I noticed one of the hire boats moored between locks 5 and 6 and thought that they hadn't got very far the day before. We soon discovered that there was a good reason for that. Five of the six boats were stuck in the shallow pound and the sixth boat had tied up just short of lock 6.

Grounded

They were the lucky ones. Staff from Shire Cruises reversed their boat back through lock 5, turned them around at the winding and they were soon on their way back to Sowerby Bridge with the prospect of continuing their holiday in a different direction.

The cill on lock 6 had been badly damaged and was leaking water. This must have been happening for a few days, steadily getting worse which would explain the shallow pound. Finally, the lock failed and the pound above it drained, trapping the 5 boats in the process.

Although we could go no further, we still had water under us (unlike this poor boat pictured here) so we moored on the lock operation and walked the three miles into Hebden Bridge for the afternoon. If nothing else, we had time!

Returning later that afternoon, we discovered that the stretch of the canal (pound) that we were in seemed to loosing water too, so we reversed through lock 5 and moored below the lock. just as well because by the next morning the pound was well down and we would have been hanging on our mooring ropes.

By Wednesday mid-day (22nd July), CRT had filled the stretch above lock 6 to free the stranded hire-boats. All very well for them but we couldn't move because we were the wrong side of the failed lock 6.

Locking up the boat, we took the bus into Hebden Bridge with a rucksack full of laundry. I could at least get that done while we were forced to wait.

Stop Locks being inserted

More bad news awaited us when we returned. CRT indicated that it wouldn't be much before Friday evening before they had repaired the lock. By that time our fresh water tank would be running very low. "Not a problem," said Paul from CRT, "I'll get Billy to bring you fresh water tomorrow." With that problem out of the way, all we had to do was sit tight and wait.








True to his word, Billy arrived the next morning with 8 litres of bottled water. That solved the drinking water problem but we still had to be careful with our domestic water if we were going to be stuck for a while.

Haworth Main Street

On Thursday 23rd July Ian and I set off to enjoy the surrounding countryside. Haworth is Bronte country and a bus ride over the moors took us there.

The parsonage - Inspirational home of the Bronte sisters

We spent a lovely day steeped in the history of Haworth and the famous Bronte family. Beside the Bronte museum, we wandered around the restored Parsonage, the family home of Patrick Bronte (father), Barnwell Bronte (brother)and the three Bronte sisters, Charlotte, Emily and Anne.

After a full day, we caught the bus back to Hebden bridge. Expecting to see some progress, we were disappointed to find that the scaffolding was still being erected. Work hadn't even been started on the cill problem.

Oh well, we knew that we would be stranded for another full day at the very least.





Friday 24th July, 3 days after having been stopped at Lock 6 on the Rochdale canal, we decided to enjoy a 'Steam Adventure' along the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

Taking the bus again over the south Pennine hills which gave us glorious views over the moors, we headed for the town of Oxenhope. In the 1800's Oxenhope along with Haworth was a working village with the main industry being the production of Worsted yarn and cloth (Worsteds were fine cloths using long-fibre wool). Today the typical long, narrow window structure of the handloom weavers cottages is still evident and even more modern houses are being built with the old architectural feature.

Ian bought two 'Rovers' tickets which gave us a full day of hop-on hop-off activity on the steam train as well as access to the vintage bus and entrance to the museums at Ingrow. We had a fabulous day.

On returning to Hebden bridge we were delighted to find that the lock 6 cill had finally been repaired and the scaffolding was being removed. Billy phoned us later in the evening to tell us that the canal would be opened on Saturday morning - four days after the problem was found with the cill on lock 6.

With our heads full of Bronte history, steam trains and railway museums, we look forward to continuing on our way along the Rochdale Canal.

I am pleased that we were forced to slow down even further and look around us. We may not have discovered as much as we did if we had sailed right on past Hebden Bridge.

A huge  'Thank You' to Billy, CRT lock keeper at Tuel Lane Deep Lock who looked after our welfare!

Calder & Hebble to Sowerby Bridge

After the shallow conditions of the Huddersfield canals, it was with a sigh of relief that we felt some water beneath us on the Calder & Hebble navigation. Almost half of the navigation follows the course of the River Calder with short man-made stretches of locks and by-weirs, providing the depth of water that we enjoyed.

The locks (as they were on the Huddersfield broad Canal) are short - just 57ft long while our boat is 60ft - and it would take us all our concentration to diagonally lock through them. Ian had removed the bow and stern fenders and still we only had mere inches to spare.

The Calder & Hebble canal is almost unique in that it requires the use of  a hand spike as a way of operating the ground, and gate paddles on the locks. Ian elected to operate the 15 locks while I took the helm. A few days earlier, we had met John and Shirley Winton who had come from this navigation and since they had no further use for their hand spike, they gave it to us to save us purchasing our own. Thank you John and Shirley!

Following the river valley, the rural outlook was unspoiled and it was only the distant rumble of the motorway with an occasional aqueduct and viaduct hidden alongside stone bridges that made one realise that we were actually never far from urbanisation.

We had been notified of a problem with the Guillotine Lock at Salterhebble so we tied up on the lock operation mooring and Ian went to investigate wile I made some coffee. The CRT fellows had a similar idea and asked if we wouldn't mind if they finished their 'brew' before helping us through the lock. Well we were in no hurry and I took the opportunity to ask questions about the area, the unusual lock and the problems associated with it. I was even asked if I would like a job at CRT  since I showed such interest. Um... 'Job' verses boating in the summer?? I think not - but thanks for asking!

Following the notes in the Nicholson Guide, we headed for Elland Basin to moor for the night. with an expectation of "tasetfully restored buildings and gardens" that were "worth more than a fleeting glance" we thought we were in for a treat. However, the visitor mooring was alongside a pub - convenient but also not too busy - and the basin was crammed with long term mooring boats so there was little to see. We enjoyed a drink at the pub while chatting to the friendly landlady before returning to our boat and cooking supper.
Note to self - although the Nicolson's guide is updated regularly, you cannot always believe what they say!

Ian had found a marina in Sowerby Bridge that offered overnight and visitor mooring and having decided to take a few days to visit family, we headed for the basin. It was in the restored basin that we found this delightful 'Boatman and Son' statue. The mooring was not bad and with a charge of just £25.00 per week, we booked two weeks. To put this into context, we have paid anything from £10.00 to £18.00 per night for visitor mooring in the past. We also had the option of an electrical hook-up so decided to leave the boat's service batteries on charge while we were away.

We hired a car through Enterprise hire car company since we are guaranteed of being collected wherever we are. At the appointed time, the car arrived and we locked up the boat, loaded up the car and set off for Brough to visit my Aunt and Uncle.

While we were there, we spoiled Aunt Shiela - and us - with an 'Afternoon Tea' at an hotel alongside the Humber River (it was her 86th birthday within the week and she certainly doesn't look it)...

... and the following day, Saturday, cousin Tony and his lovely other half, Jo arranged for us all to meet for lunch.

We had a wonderful time and all too soon it was time to hit the road again!

Next stop was Caversham, Reading to visit daughter Jo and family. I have missed the children - Hollie, now 3 1/2 and Elliott, 18 months - so it was an enjoyable (if somewhat exhausting) visit. We enjoyed a walk along the River Thames and spent time in the play park before an afternoon at the 'Soft Play. Here the children get their revenge on parents - and grandparents -as they have us running in and out of their purpose-built play area. I did sleep well after all that exercise and I hope that I burned off some of the extra calories from the week before.

Returning to the boat, we had a few days in the basin while we waited for the boat safety examiner. It gave us time to get some maintenance jobs done (Ian had to put the bow and stern fenders back on while I caught up the washing and cleaning) as well as explore Sowerby Bridge before we once again hit the waterways - this time the Rochdale Navigation.