Author: elainehayesblog

A Flight of Locks and a Haunted Tunnel

elainehayesblog

We were awake and breakfasted and ready to go by 8.30, but had a slight technical issue, namely a blocked loo. Chris had inadvertently knocked my perfume bottle and while he had caught the bottle, the cap went into the loo and disappeared. We decided to set off, then stop and call the office once it was open. We took a few snaps crossing the aqueduct …

… then headed down to Cosgrove lock. So far, we felt we’d got the hang of steering, but the morning was breezy, and Chris had trouble lining Daisy up for the lock. Eventually he succeeded and fortunately no one was about, either watching or waiting to go as he had several attempts. This had taken so long, we made our phone call, and they said to moor up and they’d send an engineer. I took over steering, and proceeded to make just such a hash of steering Daisy just a short way down the bank to moor, bumping into another boat. The couple onboard realised we had a problem, and the wind had caught Daisy and were incredibly cheerful, saying it could happen to anyone and helped us tie up.

We waited for the engineer, who came and retrieved my perfume cap which had lodged itself perfectly into the pump entrance! All good and by 11.00 we were ready to go, but a little reticent after our steering mishap, but it didn’t seem so windy, so we set off, in theory with 5 miles and a flight of 7 locks ahead!

The canal passed between fields with sheep and cows grazing and we saw the odd church tower peeking out between trees as the canal meandered along. It remained grey and a bit chilly especially as with few moored boats to slow for, we were able to keep a reasonable speed.

At one point a boat had come loose from its morning and the current had moved it across the canal, but then it settled closer to the back and we were able to get by. We also came up behind a pair of swans and they took off down the canal.

After a late lunch we approached the first lock and saw another boat coming up behind us, hopefully meaning a buddy to work the locks with. Carpathian was owned by Colin who had Wes and Meg on a Workaway Break crewing in return for board and lodging. Not only could Meg and I work the locks together, but Wes went ahead and prepared the locks, so we reached Stoke Bruerne within a couple of hours, chatting along the way.

Rather than skirting the village, the canal was built slap bang straight through the middle of Stoke Bruerne, and the locks have raised us up 17m to get here. There was a wharf to serve the nearby quarry and Mill Dock where coal was delivered for the steam powered corn mill, now the museum. It became a popular overnight stop for working boats, where they could stock up with food, use the blacksmith, cobbler and rope maker and catch up with news. It would have been a busy and bustling working environment, quite different from the picturesque view today.

The duplicate lock was built to speed up the traffic when the canals got really busy by allowing boats to pass each other, but once the railways took over it was no longer used.

The Boat Inn remains the centre of commerce, not just a pub but also a small shop selling groceries and we picked up a loaf of bread and a couple of ice creams which we ate watching the world go by, before retiring to Daisy for the evening … and a gourmet dinner!

We woke to sunshine and breakfasted quickly and set off for a walk but got chatting to Lloyd who was moored behind us when we admired his boats. He and his wife Daisy live on Trout and recently bought a butty called Norah which they’ve turned into a coffee and cake business called Daisy’s Bakin Butty! Both boats date to the 1930’s and have been recently restored pretty faithfully to the period with Lloyd doing most of the work. They are heading to Cosgrove for the bank holiday weekend so we will try and stop by on our way back, especially as the couple of red velvet cupcakes Lloyd gave us to try were delicious!

This is the entrance to the Blisworth Tunnel which at nearly 3km long is the third longest navigable canal tunnel in Britain. It was started in 1793, and teams of navvies were to work away by candlelight, using picks, shovels and wheelbarrows for the next three years. Unfortunately they not only misaligned the route, leaving a ‘kink’ in the tunnel, but also hit quicksand, causing a roof collapse which killed fourteen men. In 1802 they tried again, and the tunnel finally opened in 1805, but it had already claimed the lives of some 50 workers. Initially the boats were legged through with a couple of men lying of top of the boat with their feet against the tunnel but from 1871 steam tugs were used to pull boats through, and extra ventilation shafts were installed. Boaters who wanted to avoid the extra cost of using tugs could still leg their boats through, but by the 1930s most people used motor boats.

Further tragedy was to strike in 1861. Entering the northern end of the unlit tunnel – which had been temporarily narrowed due to engineering works – a canal steamer known as Wasp collided head on with a narrow boat being ‘legged’ in the opposite direction when smoke from her boiler reduced visibility to zero. In the ensuing chaos several people drowned or died of fume inhalation and two engineers were horrifically burned as they fell against a furnace. As a result of this disaster a new air shaft was sunk into the crash site to provide better ventilation. Since then some travellers claim to have experienced a sense of suffocation in the vicinity of this shaft or heard the wailing, splashing and choking of dying crew members in the darkness …

Well we will be going through later, but first a walk in the sunshine! We started up Boathorse Road, the track the children used to take the horses over Blisworth Hill while their parents legged the boat through the tunnel. We turned off down a footpath, through crops and fields of grass, this time studded with clover and buttercups …

… and then quite a lot of inquisitive sheep …

…and a study in pink!

The route took us through the village of Shutlanger and back, and we bumped into Julia and James who we had chatted to on the towpath the day before about travels and walking and the countryside. We went our separate ways, with us returning to Stoke Bruerne.

We had coffee and cake in the Canal Museum and a quick look round at the history of narrowboats and the traditional roses and castles and decoration which is still used on boats today and it was time to set off once more … through the tunnel …!

We were bound to be apprehensive, although other boaters said going through was perfectly fine. We knew to turn the spotlight on and wear a waterproof as there is often water dripping from the roof, particularly the ventilation shafts. We also knew there was room for two boats to pass but it was also going to be dark, and take 30-40 minutes to get to the other end … so here goes!

Well it was fine – there was plenty of space, we dodged most of the drips, took some pictures and didn’t hear and ghostly sounds, although it would be a challenge to hear anything over the sound of the engine echoing in the tunnel. But it did seem to take a long time and we did get quite chilly. We saw a boat coming towards us which looked a little surreal …

… but passed them easily and could then see the light at the end of the tunnel!

We moored up for some soup to warm us up, then pressed on, through Blisworth with the old mill building on the left, and up to the boatyard at Gayton Junction where we stopped to refill with water.

It seemed more rural, with fewer moored boats and less traffic as we chugged along … but having got the angle a bit out when approaching a bridge a little fast, some speedy reversing avoided collision but also got something caught on the propeller. Chris struggled to get Daisy to the bank, but a chap on the towpath, also a boater we found out, offered to help and we threw him a rope to pull us in. Chris told me later he had visions of finding something horrid in the weed hatch involving bones or dead bodies, but it turned out to be a piece of plastic sacking and a torn Slumberdown padded pillow protector!

All clear we set off again, but it was almost time to call a halt for the day and find a mooring spot, which on this occasion proved easier said than done as this picturesque stretch of canal was quite shallow and it took three attempts to find a spot we could pull Daisy in close enough to the bank.

After dinner, Chris managed to join the zoomed Yateley Camera Club AGM, with the canal as a backdrop and a bit later, I was out catching the sunset.

Map


A Tale of Two Aqueducts

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I was awake at the crack of dawn, not helped by cramp in my foot which made me hop out of bed quickly to relieve it. It was already light and the birds were chirping. Then I started fretting that I only had 0.3GB of data to last 6 days and before I knew it, I was definitely awake. It was 5.30. I lay in bed and read for a while, then got up and crocheted a butterfly, then made tea for us both, telling Chris it was nearly 8.00 Rome time (ie 6.45!).

Anyway, by 8.30 Chris had topped up the engine and were ready to explore Willen Lake.

The public art here has an alternative religious theme, starting with the Peace Pagoda, the first of its kind in the Western hemisphere and built in 1980 by the monks and nuns of the Nipponzan Myohoji, a spiritual movement. It enshrines sacred relics of Lord Buddha presented from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Berlin and the frieze tells the story of Buddha – here he is The first of its kind in the Western hemisphere and built in 1980 by the monks and nuns of the Nipponzan Myohoji, a spiritual movement. It enshrines sacred relics of Lord Buddha presented from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Berlin and the frieze tells the story of Buddha.

The Medicine Wheel was designed by Roy Littlesun in 2000 and consists of two concentric circles of stone inspired by the legends of the Hopi Nation in North America whose prophesies foretell an age of peace when all nations live in peace and harmony. The design pays homage to British traditions of building circles alongside meeting places and important sites. Two extra pairs of stone situated north east and south west of the circle align with the needle stone alongside the lake and join the ‘Midsummer Line’, which follows the Midsummer sunrise that runs through the Tree Cathedral to the Belvedere in Campbell Park, along Midsummer Boulevard in Central Milton Keynes.

The Willen Labyrinth is a turf maze based on an enlarged version of the Saffron Walden Rosicrucian Maze with an oak tree at its centre and bronze faces in its lobes like this one and was laid out in 1988.

Finally we followed the edge of the lake, past the waterskiing winch and a series of paths and underpasses in search of the Tree Cathedral. We could have picked up a couple of scooters on the way, but unfortunately didn’t have helmets to hand.

The Tree Cathedral initially just looked like a glade of trees and as we entered a couple of bunnies ran across the grass with their pale fluffy tails catching the light. Inside there were aisles of trees forming an arched roof which apparently depicts Norwich Cathedral, peaceful, and certainly different.

Returning to Daisy, we made a start, and saw several more of the Gyosei art works from the canal – a life size steel Shire Horse whose steady toil propelled the barges of yesteryear along the towpaths …

… Three Post Bench illustrating wildlife of the canal such as coarse fish, and water birds but also smaller inhabitants such as water beetles, snails, insect larvae, floral algae and amoebae …

… and finally a beautiful white barn owl in glass mosaic swooping to capture its prey.

We then chugged slowly through Great Linford Park and Stanton Low Park which we hope to see more of on our return, and on to the New Bradwell Aquaduct, which carries the canal over Grafton Street. I’d read it was possible to get off the boat, nip down the towpath and over a parallel footbridge to take a photo of our narrowboat crossing the aqueduct … and it is possible!

Chris was so excited by starring in the photo, his steering briefly went a bit to pot!

Coming into Wolverton there were a few more urban views …

… including a mural alongside the station …

… and several boats moored up beside a wharf development of new houses beside a footbridge which conveniently leads to a good size Tesco, no doubt stocking up on groceries.

Not much further and we arrived at Ouse Valley Park and moored up just before the aquaduct. We’d had a couple of short bursts of rain on our way, but now the sky was getting very dark, and I think we arrived just in time.

After lunch, the sky soon cleared and the sun came out and we went for a walk. Steps took us down beside the Iron Trunk Aqueduct which dates to 1811 and is the oldest broad canal iron trough aqueduct. It was the 4th attempt by the Grand Junction Canal Company to cross the River Great Ouse as earlier attempts collapsed. A horse tunnel leads underneath … so we walked through to get a view from both sides …

We then headed round the park, taking in the river floodplain filled with flowers …

… and grazing ponies …

… until we reached the brick-built Wolverton Viaduct, constructed by Robert Stephenson in 1838, carrying the railway from Euston northwards …

… before looping back as the sky became grey once more and we were back to Daisy for a cuppa and cake before the rain.

We wanted to take a turn round Cosgrove, just a mile away, billed as a typical canal village, but also wanted to make a good start next day, so once the rain stopped we took a chance and set out. This time we weren’t so lucky, so most of our walk was in the drizzle, down to the lock, a snap of the Ornamental Bridge, through another horse tunnel and back, but I’m not sure it would have been much more exciting on a lovely.

We were pleased to get back, dry out and sit in the warm with stew and red wine for supper.

Map


A Very Good Start

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We picked Daisy up at lunchtime and she immediately felt like home from home. We’re travelling in the same direction as our last trip, so we repeated our route through the three locks at Soulbury …

… before mooring near Bridge 106 at Stoke Hammond.

The biggest difference is that I had the helm for much of the afternoon, and did a pretty good job! Don who came with us to begin with encouraged me to steer and I must have felt more relaxed because I finally got the hang of it. Having said that, Chris steered through the locks while I manned the windlass, but we went through with another boat so we shared the work.

Soon afterwards we moored and went for a walk to stretch our legs. The hawthorn is blossoming in abundance, but there were lots of other white flowers like cow parsley, white dead nettle, garlic mustard and even the dandelion clocks.

And there were sheep …

… inevitably some sheep bottoms …

… and also Daisy’s!

After dinner we sat listening to the sound of sheep in the field and a cuckoo calling, pleased we’d covered the 4 miles we’d planned.

Next day rain was forecast later so we got a good start, taking turns to steer through the locks at Stoke Hammond and Fenny Stratford then into Milton Keynes. It started to get showery so we stopped for a sandwich in the hope it would pass, then cracked on, past the winding hole where we turned last trip and Campbell Park to new territory.

After covering about 7.5 miles, we moored up at Willen Lake where we had planned to walk, but heavy rain threatened and instead we just took a short walk in search of a frog.

There is lots of public art in Milton Keynes and this stretch of the towpath hosts the Gyosei Art Trail, funded when the site of a Japanese School was redeveloped. The eight pieces relate to Japan, the canal and natural history and we came across this little chap sitting on a bench. Entitled “What lies beneath”, the frog is sitting, peacefully unaware of the food chain below in the canal … but he did look like he wanted some company … and we are allowed to hug again now!

Chris was delighted to be back in time for a mug of tea and LFC’s final game of the season v Crystal Palace that he was able to watch on his phone … even more delighted when they won 2-0, so Champions League football again next season.

I was surprised how few snaps I took today, just a couple of fallen soldiers …

… and a trio of bridges.

Map


Chris & Elaine Afloat Again 2021

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As soon as we returned from our last trip on Daisy, we were inspired to try a longer trip and a lucky cancellation gave us the opportunity.

So here we are, preparing to set off afloat once more, from the same place and in the same direction but further! We are looking forward to actually reaching Cosgrove and seeing the viaduct and aquaduct in Ouse Valley Park, and based on our progress last time, we hope to get to Weeden Bec before we turn round.

There will be a bit more housekeeping involved in a longer trip, things we didn’t have to consider before like fuel, water, rubbish and groceries and the forecast is mixed, but I have a nice new waterproof jacket, and we are really looking forward to a bit of an adventure.

Journal Entries

A Very Good Start

A Tale of Two Aqueducts

A Flight of Locks and a Haunted Tunnel

Weedon Wharf and the Northampton Arm

Stoke Bruerne to Cosgrove Revisited

The Greenest City

The Final Stretch

Map


Homeward Bound …

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We took a turn round Waterhall Park before we set off. The park seems to mark the end of Milton Keynes and the beginning of the countryside.

Just the other side of the towpath is an avenue of Lombardy Poplar trees which have been planted either side of a footpath which run from here, all the way through Milton Keynes.

It gives access to an almost uninterrupted stretch of parks which I wish we had explored more fully and we kept catching glimpses of the these tall trees all along the canal.

Once we set off, I had another go steering, but still couldn’t get the hang of it and even managed to collide with a parked boat … albeit very gently!

As we approached Stoke Hammond lock, we looked out for the unusual double arched bridge which we’d missed on the way up.

At one point, duplicate narrow locks were built to take smaller boats saving water and time. They have since been filled in but the second arch shows where it was.

We caught up with the boat we had started out with, also making their way back and worked the lock together.

We stopped for lunch then refreshed, continued to Soulbury and the Three Locks. As we arrived another boat had just come through, so they were in our favour, and if they could come through just a single boat, then so could we. It was hard work though, working all three locks on our own, with Chris on the boat steering and me working all the paddles and gates. I did manage to get Chris to close one set though … just so he could have a go! At the end we were quite pleased with ourselves!

A bit later we moored up and went for a short walk past St Mary’s Church in Old Linslade and along the towpath.

We moved a short way further and moored for the night beside the site of Bridge 112, carefully chosen as far from the railway as possible and leaving just a short run back to Wyvern Shipping in the morning, setting a daily record of 6 miles, 31⁄4 furlongs! We polished off the last of the cake and a well deserved cuppa!

We came away, prepared to self cater throughout and brought enough with us so we didn’t need to shop, after all we are only on Daisy for four days and keeping our distance seems sensible at the moment.

We had thought if we passed an appealing pub at lunchtime we might stop for a bag of chips but it didn’t happen, and by choosing secluded moorings we were too far from a pub for dinner. We’ve had homemade soup, sandwiches and beans on toast for lunches and the dinner menu has comprised sausages with roasted sprouts and potatoes, Higgedy Pies and veg, homemade chilli and on our last night we have pesto pasta. This has worked out really well and meant we could both enjoy the whole experience and spend our time watching the world go by rather than slaving in the galley.

And from galley to gallery, just in case I’ve not included enough photos already, here are a few more, including some of the quirky views from the canal …

Next morning we were out on the water at 8.15 to ensure we were back on time. Just Leighton Lock to go through …

… and 31⁄2 furlongs to travel and we were back at the boat yard, handing Daisy back.

We caught up with others who had been out for a midweek trip like us, some making Cosgrove and the tunnel at Stoke Bruerne beyond, a lady who had dished up a full roast dinner one night and a chap who had backed into the winding hole by mistake, but a good time was had by all.

We’ve really enjoyed our first trip afloat and it was a perfect way to celebrate our anniversary, especially this year with options being limited. We may only have travelled a total of 22 miles, 1⁄2 furlongs and 12 locks with a revised destination of Campbell Park but we were obviously a little too ambitious thinking we could get further! Daisy is just lovely and we’ve already told her we hope to see her again soon … maybe we can get to Cosgrove next time and see the aquaduct!

Maps

Actual Route

Celebrating In Campbell Park …

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We woke on our anniversary to a lovely morning and exchanged cards and thought how lovely our mooring was, especially so close to Milton Keynes.

Already we are about halfway through our trip so we looked at the map to decide how much further we could get and where we could turn. Needless to say with a 48 foot boat and a canal that’s 30-40 foot wide, you can’t turn round just anywhere! We needed a winding hole (pronounced win-ding) which is a ‘notch’ or specially widened area made for turning. We saw the best one would be 2 miles ahead, just short of Campbell Park in Milton Keynes, otherwise we would need to travel another 45 minutes (and back) so it was important we didn’t overshoot it!

Chris did a grand job, waiting till other boats had passed, heading the bow into the notch and swinging the stern round.

We then moored up across from the noisiest stretch of canal so far …

… and walked to Campbell Park, a huge rectangular green space in the centre of the city, edged by the canal on one side and containing a cricket arena and full of autumn colour.

The Belvedere rises in the centre and offers views across Bedfordshire and there is a wild flower meadow in the middle which is apparently grazed by sheep in the summer! The original vision was that the park would also be the cultural centre of the city and there are a number of works of art and sculptures throughout, the most prominent being the Light Pyramid which replaced the original basket beacon which was destroyed by lightening. It is made of steel and painted white and was first lit for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on 4th June 2012 and is still lit to commemorate special local and national events.

The Milton Keynes Rose is a commemorative public space featuring a calendar of days important to the people of Milton Keynes. Pillars are arranged like a flower, many already inscribed and others left for future dedications.

Other pieces include Head …

… Gnomon or Shadow Castor made of Ffestiniog blue grey slate and bronze which casts its shadow just like the arm of a sundial it is named for … but Chris keenly pointed out it is by the cricket pitch and represents wickets and a ball … surely I had realised that … but I hadn’t!

… Onwards and Upwards, carved from a single piece of eight-metre-high sweet chestnut and representing the growth and development of the park and the city …

… Cave, supposedly offering shelter in the park, but not much as it doesn’t really have a roof …

… Chain Reaction, a 3D model of figures balanced like acrobats, in an endless chain which changes as it is viewed from different angles …

… and Armillary Sphere in the centre of the Labyrinth to celebrate the 10th anniversary of MK Housing Association.

Chris was intrigued by this plaque, confused by the seemingly incorrect distances …

… until I pointed out this post!

We returned to the boat for lunch …

… before beginning our return trip. We barely had to stop at Fenny Stratford Lock with its Swing Bridge as it was in our favour and open. We went through with another boat, and another boat was waiting so we didn’t even need to close it, quite a contrast to the day before! Before we knew it, we were back at Waterhall Park, where we had stopped for lunch the day before and moored up after covering exactly 6 miles for the day.

The sun came out when I made the tea, so we sat on the bow, admiring the canal.

Later we celebrated our anniversary with a bottle of fizz and a very delicious White Chilli made from a Simon Rimmer recipe which I’d brought with us frozen, served with greens, grated cheddar and tortilla chips!

We played several hands of Uno and Chris was pleased to reign once more as Uno Champ!

Maps

Finding Our Feet …

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We slept pretty well, despite the snug bed, but both of us woke in the night and were kept awake for a while by unfamiliar nocturnal noises. The sky started turning pink during our first cuppa, so we dressed quickly and walked down the tow path to the bridge and took a few pics …

Over breakfast we were feeling quite pleased with ourselves that we were already further along than we had expected, in fact 3 locks and 1 mile further … but we shouldn’t have been congratulating ourselves so soon …

I found a really interesting website with details about this stretch of the Grand Union Canal and read about Soulbury as I drank my tea. Stating the pretty obvious, when you think about it, when a boat passes down a lock it takes a whole lock of water too, so unless this is replaced, the canal would eventually dry out. When the canal opened in 1800, reservoirs were built to collect water and keep the levels high enough for boats to stay afloat. However this might not be enough with heavy traffic or a drought, so a series of nine pumphouses called the ‘Northern Engines’ were built, including the ones at Soulbury and Stoke Hammond. Each housed a steam powered pump that drew water up from below the lock and pumped it through a tunnel and back above the lock. The buildings had chimneys, few of which survive, and were often decorated with fan lights and ornamental glazing bars which can be seen at Soulbury and Stoke Hammond. At Soulbury, water is still recycled using a pump to keep the canal open and the pumphouse is currently undergoing restoration, which explains all the metal fencing and here’s a closer picture …

Every lock on the canal, like every bridge, has its own number, starting with No1 at Braunston where the Grand Union Canal joins the Oxford Canal. The flight of three locks at Soulbury, No 24, 25 and 26, take the canal 6m further uphill from its lowest stretch across the Ouse Valley in Milton Keynes up to Tring summit at 121m above sea level.

The Three Locks was purpose built as a canalside pub to provide services to travellers on the canal and was originally known as The New Inn. Census records from 1881 list the innkeeper as Mary Faulkner who ran the pub with her two servants, Charles Barron and Mary Curtis. On the night of the census the inn had one guest, Joseph Staige, a retired optician from Birmingham who was perhaps stopping off overnight on his way home from London on a flyboat. Here’s an archive photo from maybe the 1950’s … not much has changed except the colour and the boats in the lock.

Anyway, time to shake a leg and get on with the day!

We set off after breakfast at 10.00 and we soon came to Stoke Hammond Lock. A real Waterman was bringing a pair of boats through the lock towards us which meant the lock was ready for us to take the other way …

… and here’s the pumphouse with its fanlight.

Only one boat had passed us this morning, so we were surprised to see another come up behind us to share the lock. She and I got chatting as we worked the lock … they had renovated their boat and had it for 8 years. I think he shared some tips with Chris, who managed to moor and pick me up perfectly!

Incidently, if you wondered what a pipe bridge is … as we did … here is a prime example, taking a pipe over the canal!

Some time later we passed a marina …

… then decided to stop for a coffee. Easier said than done though as mooring proved quite tricky … we managed to get the bow in … but the stern stuck out … so we tried again … twice … before we had success! I think the lesson learnt is not to leave it too long to stop for a break, as concentration is already waning when it’s most needed. We started with coffee … then I went for a short walk round Waterhall Park, where I saw the River Ouse …

… then we had lunch!

Setting off again was easier said than done as we seemed to have got stuck in the mud. Chris got the pole and despatched me to the other end of the boat in the hope we could push free!

Finally we were free and a mile or so further on we reached Fenny Stratford where Bridge 96 takes the canal beneath the old Roman road of Watling Street and the oldest known gold coin in Britain dating from 200BC-100BC was found here in 1849.

Here are a couple more then and now images of the bridge …

… and houses on the site of a brick kiln and a wharf which was used to load goods from barges.

The towpath was carried over the entrance to the wharf by a swingbridge, since replaced by a liftbridge. There would have been wharves like this all along the canal, providing a transport network. The canal was also useful for other communication and large telegraph poles lined the route. A GPO repeater station amplified signals so they could travel north, or during WWII to the code-breakers at nearby Bletchley Park.

Just past the town is Fenny Stratford Lock, the first lock that raises the level of the canal after it has crossed the long flat plain of the Ouse Valley. We managed to moor up quite easily this time and went to check it out.

The lock had been left full, so we just needed to open the gates, but as I was taking a few pictures, I noticed an added complication, a swing bridge in the middle of the lock!

The sky darkened and the rain started, so we decided to wait and see if it would blow over.

We didn’t have to wait long, just a passing shower. No other boats had come, so we started to work the lock ourselves. I tried to move the swing bridge, but struggled and Chris came to help … finally he had a chance at some manual labour!

I opened the lock gates, Chris moved the boat into the lock. I closed the gates, opened the paddle on the other gates so the water equalised, then opened the gates. Chris took the boat out and moored while I closed the gates, but he had to help again with the swing bridge. I remembered that so far I had taken a few pics of Chris, but there were none of me, so I handed over the camera to even the score.

We checked we had left the lock as we should, then set off again. I really enjoyed working this lock as we remembered how to do it and managed all on our own … a real sense of achievement!

The sky was getting grey again and if it rains, the skipper gets wet, so we started to keep an eye out for a place to moor up … it’s not as easy as it sounds as you have to be a reasonable distance from hazards like bridges and bends not too close another boat and preferably not right by a noisy road. Coming into Milton Keynes, our options were reduced and we chose to stop just before Tinkers Bridge 90B, which we managed without event.

Sitting over a cuppa, we both felt the day had been quite hard work – the concentration needed to steer, as just a brief lapse has the boat heading for the bank – as well as the physical effort at the locks. We are resigned that as beginners, this is definitely slow travel as we have only travelled 5 miles, 3⁄4 furlongs today, and our idea of getting to Cosgrove is no longer realistic. Instead we will enjoy our tea and cake and take some time out. Chris is busy editing photos of swans …

… while I’m happy to put my feet up and read some more of my carefully chosen getaway reading … Canal Pushers by Andy Griffee, a murder mystery set on a narrowboat called Jumping Jack Flash on the Grand Union Canal no less!

Another tasty supper … this time sausages with roasted sprouts and potatoes with pomegranate molasses and a nice drop of Merlot!

Maps

The Adventure Begins …

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We enjoyed our 90 minute drive to Leighton Buzzard, noticing how some of the leaves are turning already. We stopped briefly at Tiddenfoot Waterside Park to stretch our legs and eat our sandwiches …

… and caught the first glimpse of the Grand Union Canal.

We were at Wyvern Shipping at 1.30 on the dot to collect Daisy, and were quite surprised to see lots of other boats were going out as well.

While Chris brought the car over to load our things, I quickly took some snaps of Daisy.

Simon gave us a full tour inside and out, together with operating details and safety. It seemed a lot to remember. Then we set off with Simon showing Chris how to manoeuvre the boat and me how to work the first lock, Leighton Lock. The locks here are big enough to take two boats, and another of the Wyvern boats had come down the canal behind us so we went through together. Chris might have the most technical task but I seem to have the most active, having to use the windlass to raise and lower paddles and my back to push the gate open and closed. Simon suggested we proceed to the three locks at Soulbury and go those together with the other boat and with all the instructions fresh in our mind, it seemed a good idea. We had thought we might moor short of the locks for the night and do them fresh in the morning, but it is best not to do this set of 3 locks on your own, and we could end up waiting a while for another boat the next day.

Our induction complete, Simon returned to the boatyard and I put the kettle on for a cuppa. The canal meandered through the Ouzel Valley past farmland & woodland and under several bridges …

After around 3 miles, we approached Soulbury and moored up to survey the scene, with the flight of three locks ahead, a road bridge, a historic cottage and pub on the left and the old pumping station on the right.

Even this was easier said than done as drawing the boat in to the bank at the right angle to end up alongside in one go looks like it will take a little practice! I went with the chap from the other boat to look at the lock and figure out what we needed to do and we quickly established we weren’t too confident at all! A couple of other boats had moored up behind us and Jim came forward to rescue the situation. He had also hired his boat from Wyvern, but had done this before and got us organised as to who should do what when and I even managed to take a few pictures along the way …

Relieved that we had survived the three lock ordeal, we looked for a safe spot to moor for the night as it had started to spit with rain and ended up stopping quite soon,just short of Bridge 106 and a total of 4 miles, 11⁄4 furlongs from Wyvern. After a little backwards and forwards, the hefty hammering in of stakes and tightening of ropes, we were securely moored and we scuttled in to the dry.

We did a bit of unpacking, made more tea and put the oven on for dinner then tucked in to pies and veg and a bottle of red wine in our cosy cabin. Any worries we had that it would be chilly were unfounded as the heating is very efficient. After all the excitement, we had an early night and could hearing the rain falling on the roof of the boat as we fell asleep.

Maps

Chris & Elaine Celebrate Afloat 2020

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Covid 19 has stopped us all in our tracks this year and we’ve stayed at home, cancelling or postponing all the travels we had planned. In August we thought a modest little trip might be possible and an article in the newspaper gave us the idea to book a narrowboat for our wedding anniversary. It ticked all the boxes, one of the most important being to celebrate our wedding anniversary on a boat as we have every year, while still keeping our distance and having a bit of an adventure.

Daisy is moored on the Grand Union Canal near Leighton Buzzard and we hope to travel north as far as the Ouse Valley Park in Cosgrove, so we can admire the viaduct and aqueduct, before returning … just 37 miles and 1⁄4 furlongs with 12 locks in total … not a very demanding route as we are new to this lark and goodness knows what the weather will be like.

We’ve not wanted to plan, look at a map or make a list to early, just in case this trip also had to be delayed … but so far so good and fingers crossed!

So this is the plan, but anything could happen along the way … join us and find out!

Journal Entries

The Adventure Begins …

Finding Our Feet …

Celebrating In Campbell Park …

Homeward Bound …

 

Maps

Cebu City … Once More!

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The only time I’ve worn a fleece this trip, was on the air conditioned ferry, so this time we opted for economy instead, not realising that this meant sitting outside at the back!

It would have been fine, but Chris was sitting right by the engine exhaust so ended up standing at the back, and while the spray wasn’t noticeable, we arrived almost caked in salt, so took a shower as soon as we arrived at ABC Hotel.

History hasn’t played a particularly big part in this trip so far as apart from some churches, there are few historical sites. Now we are back in Cebu city there are a few more so this seems the best time to mention the history of the Philippines … another area missed completely in my school education! I knew before we came it was Christian … a legacy of the Spanish … that it was called The Philippines after King Philip of Spain … and Imelda Marcos had a lot of shoes … but that was about it.

So most Filipinos are descended from Malay settlers, who were influenced by nearby Hindu kingdoms and trade with the Chinese and then Arab traders who brought Islam to the islands.

In 1521 Ferdinand Magellan sailed across the Pacific, landed in the Philippines and planted a wooden cross to claim them for Spain. The original cross was believed to have miraculous healing powers so they started chipping bits off, so it was encased in another wooden cross made from tindalo, although rumours say the original cross was destroyed or disappeared after the death of Magellan. Either way, it’s a symbol that marks the birth of Christianity in the land and is housed in Plaza Sugbo, between the Colegio Santo Nino and City Hall in a stone rotunda.

The ceiling is painted with scenes showing the arrival of Magellan and the planting of the cross …

… and the subsequent baptism of King Humabon of Cebu, his Queen Juana and their subjects …

… and here’s a statue of Humabon.

The most famous religious icon in the Philippines, the statue of Santo Nino, is said to have been given to Queen Juana by Magellan after her baptism and is kept in the oldest church in the country, the Basilica Del Santo Nino founded in 1565.

We took photos from afar as the devotees filed past the statue.

We had a pretty good idea what it looked like up close as there were images all over the city in the run up to Sinulog, the festival honouring Santo Nino and there were still decorations remaining from the festivities last weekend.

Magellan had hoped to make Humabon a puppet ruler on behalf of the Spanish crown and demanded the other chiefs to submit. Lapu Lapu refused so Magellan led a force to crush him but Magellan was killed and the Spanish conquest was put on hold.

Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in 1565, established the first permanent settlement in Cebu and built Fort San Pedro and here he is outside.

Originally it was made of wood …

… but was replaced in the C17th with a stone fort to repel Muslim raiders. Today’s fort was built in 1738 and is the oldest triangular bastion fort in the country, still with most of its cannon.

Much of the archipelago came under Spanish rule, creating the first unified political structure known as the Philippines and introduced the code of law but also a feudal system with Spaniards owning vast estates worked by Filipinos. Along with conquistadors went friars who converted the Filipinos to Catholicism. The friars also built schools and universities including the oldest modern university in Asia.

We headed to The Parian, the area of Cebu which contained the residences of the most prominent families in Cebu during the Spanish Period. It also used to be the center of trade, the word “parian” being derived from the word “pari-pari” meaning to barter or trade. There are still a real mix of buildings in this old quarter.

We learnt about life in Cebu at that time, how the Chinese were welcomed into the city to trade as long as they converted to Christianity and adopted Westernised names and how over time intermarriage between Filipino, Spanish and Chinese established communities of Mestizos meaning mixed blood. The Spanish colony in the Philippines brought prosperity for the rich who profited from the galleon trade with goods such as silk, porcelain and lacquer imported to the Philippines from China then on to Mexico.

The Yap-Sandiego Heritage House was built at the end of the C17th and is one of the oldest homes in Cebu. It is owned by a descendant of the original residents and is rather dark, and filled with dusty antiques and religious items.

The Casa Gorordo was built in 1850s by a wealthy merchant and was once owned by the first Filipino Bishop of Cebu. It is an interesting mix of Spanish and native building techniques with lower walls of coral stone and the upper floor of hardwood fixed with wooden pegs. The interior gives an idea how the rich lived but also shows how the house was kept cool by large windows, an open-plan interior with only curtains rather than doors and pierced woodwork to allow air circulation.

Towards the end of the C19th, nationalist feeling started to grow and José Rizal, the most celebrated intellectual and radical ilustrado of the era, wrote the novels ‘Noli Me Tángere’ and ‘El filibusterismo’ which greatly inspired the movement for independence. He also founded a movement called Liga Filipina, which called for reform rather than revolution and as a result Rizal was arrested and exiled. Meanwhile Andres Bonifacio formed a more extreme organisation called the Katipunan and began a revolution. Rizal was accused of supporting the revolution, although he did not and he was executed and remains a national hero with his statue in every town.

Just to confuse matters, in 1898 war broke out between the USA and Spain and the Americans defeated the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. Meanwhile Filipino revolutionaries had surrounded Manila. Their leader, Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines independent, however as part of the peace treaty Spain ceded the Philippines to the USA. The Filipino-American War between the revolutionary force and the American troops lasted until 1902 when Aguinaldo was captured.

The US policy in The Philippines was one of ‘beneficial assimilation’ with an aim to educate, establish American ethics and prepare the country to rule itself as a democracy. Filipinos learned to behave, dress and eat like Americans, sing American songs and speak American English. They also got their love of basketball and the iconic jeepneys but we did find the very polite greeting of Ma’am slightly dated and it began to grate after just a day or two, however well meant.

Japan occupied the Philippines during WWII and very few historical buildings remain, and although the original C16th baroque Cathedral was destroyed it has been rebuilt.

In 1946 The Philippines became independent and I realise there has been more history since, including that famous shoe collection, but this seems a good place to stop.

The most modern monument here is The Heritage of Cebu Monument, a huge sculpture in the round unveiled in 2000, showing significant and symbolic events in the history of Cebu.

Keeping the history theme going, we went to Circa 1900 for dinner, a fine dining restaurant in a beautiful colonial period house, with great service, the best veggie choices Chris has seen all trip and delicious lechon for me!

Talking food, it has been generally ok with a lots of pork dishes as well as fish and veg for me, but the veggie options became rather monotonous for Chris who has been starting every day with an omelette and resorting to pasta and pizza or more than one occasion! It’s been hard to really work out what is typical Filipino cuisine as there seems to be such a melting-pot with influences from all over. There is definitely a sweet and salty thing going on and also anything that helps preserve food like using vinegar in adobo stews and dried fish as flavouring. The kalamansi or Philippines lime is a small juicy citrus fruit and is everywhere, in marinades, dipping sauces, drinks and to squeeze over grilled food and even papaya! Grilled meat or fish served with rice is common, but there are also stews and stir fries like pinakbet – steamed veg with a local fish sauce (veggies beware), kare-kare – a stew with peanut sauce, humba – a pork stew with black beans and soy, tinola – chicken and veg in a ginger broth, sinigang – stew cooked in a sour broth, chop suey made of stir fried veg with soy sauce and Filipino style curry with coconut milk but not very spicy.

On our last night we had an early dinner at Zubuchon, mainly as there was a branch round the corner from our hotel, but also as it seemed a fitting end to the trip, especially as they also offer ensaladang talong, a grilled eggplant salad.

With the temperature rising and the humidity becoming more apparent, we are actually looking forward to going home tomorrow.

Finally,

  • The Filipino people are very friendly and we’ve been made very welcome but there are a lot of them and poverty is noticeable everywhere, especially in the towns. Despite this, it is the cleanest Asian country we’ve visited.
  • The pollution in towns from jeepneys and scooters is dreadful
  • Attempts at plastic reduction and recycling are noticeable and impressive
  • Travelling around was surprisingly easy and transport is cheap
  • The only place we didn’t hear cockerels crowing was in our 5th floor room in Cebu City
  • We’ve had a great trip and it would have been worth it for the snorkelling alone, but there was so much more
  • Our final island count is 9 … but out of 7,641 that still leaves scope for a return visit one day!

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