Marsh Lock Moorings

NB Harnser

We set off about 10am on quite a windy morning , often blowing at 35mph, it made winding by the disused lock mouth interesting as I had to get round bow to wind. I know what I should have done,

Shropshire Union Canal Barbridge Junction to Nantwich Aqueduct click to read more

NB Huffler

A long journey today - all of about 3 miles Much cooler today, nice England temperatures as we cruise through pretty winding tree lined canal towards Nantwich Threatening clouds to our right but no rain forecast 2 beautiful properties here.

Below Dutton Lock

NB Harnser

Last night we had our last meal in Northwich at Relish, its very close and handy for the town moorings, unlike last Thursday night when the weather was hot and the place empty, last night they were quite busy. A

After a delayed start we are almost off – Day 1

NB Floydtilla

Our plans this year have not gone as we expected; we hoped to be on the boat from April/May with the idea of a 6-12 month cruise. But things beyond our control happened so it did not get started then.

Shropshire Union Middlewich Arm to Barbridge Junction

NB Huffler

Never thought I would say this ... clouds, maybe rain clouds .... lovely! Well we never got any rain to speak of, just enough to bring the umbrella out for a few minutes. We had a struggle to get underway

Northwich Town Moorings

NB Harnser

Last night we moored below Dutton lock in the same spot Robbie Cummins used for the TV show . I wouldn’t normally consider doing such a thing but there is next to nothing moving on the river.[[DSCF1889]][1] A little before

Passing the time

The Sumpners Afloat

**8th to 28th June – just kickin’ our heels mainly** You’ll recall that, last time I posted, Paul was just about to go off to [Le Mans][1] – fulfilling a lifelong dream. I dropped him off at the station on

Nature notes

NB Herbie

Well, we're told that Claydon bottom lock is now working. I think they've even fixed the top paddle. We're not ready quite yet to get back on Herbie because of home commitments but it won't be long, although they say

Dutton Lock

NB Harnser

Well in three days we have gone from sleeping with no bedclothes and all hatches open to every thing closed up and the duvet on. Last night or early this morning I photographed the moon, not easy as its low

Trent and Mersey canal to Wardle Canal & Middlewich arm

NB Huffler

7am departure from Rode Heath, and 6am departure from Wheelock to avoid heat of sun. What time today I wonder ? Only going from Middlewich, up the 3 locks and turn into Wardle Canal and Middlewich arm up to the

The complete guide to jet ski rules and regulations

Insure4Boats

Owning a jet ski can be thrilling, but it comes with certain responsibilities. The main one is ensuring you know the code of conduct for using this type of watercraft. Brushing up on your knowledge before heading out during the

Below Hunts Lock

NB Harnser

This morning while we were having breakfast it started raining with a really heavy drizzle sort of rain, thankfully it had stopped before we set off. They call this Winsford Marina, its basically just a[[DSCF1870]][1] basin with mooring rings, there

Repaint Week 2 W/C 22nd June

NB Oleanna

*Scarboreugh / Redhill Marina* We’d hoped to be able to head down to see Oleanna on Monday, but we also wanted to coincide with Matt from **[Onboard Solar][1]** and he was busy. I worked the whole day model making for

Winsford Marina

NB Harnser

It was a good decision yesterday moving to the Town Moorings as the housed gave us evening shade, I even had to get up during the night and close the hatches because we were feeling cold.This morning was much fresher,

Trent & Mersey canal - Wheelock to Middlewich. click to read more

NB Huffler

So its another early start to Middlewich. It's 6 locks and 5 miles to Kings lock then 3 locks down into Middlewich. We need Tesco's so will stay in Middlewich until this heat has passed. Yesterday was 31 degrees. As

Surviving a heatwave in a metal box

Pickingupducks

Narrowboats like ours are basically a metal box. Living and working in a metal box has its challenges, but probably one of the biggest is surviving during extreme heat. It is hot but at one point humidity rose to over

Northwich Town Moorings

NB Harnser

No sign of Matt this morning so we still haven’t paid our dues, but we cant get off the river until early next month. Not only did Matt black the hull, sides and bottom but he also changed the top

Northwich Thursday 29 June

NB Harnser

Well we are back onboard Harnser so more riveting stories to follow. We left home at 8-30am and the drive didn’t start well. At Hensted crossroads just 2 miles from home highways (unless someone had moved them)had put the road

Trent & Mersey canal - Rode Heath to Wheelock. Click to see more

NB Huffler

Weather going mad. We are in the NORTH of England and temperatures are forecast for up to 34 degrees C this week.(that's 94 degrees F.) After a couple of lovely days, yes and a visit to the pub, at Rode

Trent and Mersey Canal - Red Bull Services to Rode Heath. Click to see more.

NB Huffler

The Cheshire Locks or as the old boatmen called them 'HeartBreak Hill' is a flight of 31 locks from Hardings Wood to Middlewich 13 miles away The locks were twinned all the way to Wheelock, 25 locks.. Sadly roughly half

Building a DIY Dry Bilge Pump for a Canal Boat

NB Floydtilla

I have a perfectly working automatic bilge pump on my steel canal boat. However, due to its design, it always leaves about an inch (2.5 cm) of standing water behind. Because a damp environment inside a metal boat is a

Herbie takes a short cruise.

NB Herbie

Someone once said to me ( or did I say it to someone?) Don't make plans then nothing can spoil them. Well we had a sort of half plan for our current spell on Herbie and half of it has

Trent and Mersey Canal - Westport Lake via the tunnel to Red Bull services. Click to see more.

NB Huffler

It's not far from Westport Lake to the tunnel. **Harecastle Tunnel** is a canal tunnel on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffordshire in between Kidsgrove and Tunstall The tunnel, which is 1.6 miles (2.6 km) long, was once one

A French Flit and a new baby

NB What A Lark

So then, a little French interlude. What could be nicer? I had joined an Art Club a few years ago now and to my surprise David wanted to join too after a year and him missing out on interesting speakers.

A big decision to make

NB Free Spirit (Jameisons Afloat)

Lots have happened since our return to FS last Tuesday. The park at Presteigne ticked all the boxes, and we came away thinking this must be the right park for us. Feeling excited, we phoned the family. Our daughter was

Repaint Week 1 W/C 15th June

NB Oleanna

*Scarboreugh / Redhill Marina* After the excitement of Oleanna getting blasted on Monday we expected things to be a bit quieter on Tuesday, which they were. I had an email from Claire the signwriter with a sketch of a Rennie

The Perfect Balance

Pickingupducks

This week the negative impacts of social media has been in sharp focus for young people, and if for the young, for all of us. As a result I want this week to use this social media shared blog for

A novel way to damage a canal lock

NB Herbie

While we wait for CRT to fix the lock gate at Claydon (see previous post). Here's a little tale the CRT man told me about the stoppage at Grants Lock below Banbury last week. Boaters will know what a bottom

Nearly out on the canal

NB Herbie

Spot the fifth man! Oh there he is lying under the balance beam vainly attempting to fix the bolt that holds the lock gate in place. I can tell you he was puffing and grunting quite a lot. "Need more

Map embedded from Canalmaps.co.uk

NB Floydtilla

This was a quick test checking we could embed and customise a map for use on another website (Love Canals). Developing this for them ment we can have made this available to other websites to use for non commercial purposes

Back to the travelogue: Rawene and points south west

NB Wakahuia

**Mid February**: After Waitangi, and based on looking after my neck and shoulders we decided not to head further up into Northland - it is a long way and the additional driving is a bit of pain - literally. So

Trent and Mersey Canal - Barlaston to Festival Gardens Stoke on Trent

NB Huffler

The sloping path to the left of this bridge takes you to the modern Wedgwood China Factory. Very interesting. If you have been to one of the Victorian Potteries like Middleport its great to see how it used to be

Trent and Mersey Canal - Stoke on Trent Festival Park to Westport Lake

NB Huffler

The outskirts of Stoke are surprisingly rural nowadays. China gardens where we moored last night was where the National garden Festival was held in 1986. Before that it was the massive Shelton Steelworks. We are in the heart of the

5 best boat remodel ideas to upgrade your craft

Insure4Boats

Owning an older boat doesn't mean you need to settle for outdated features and worn finishes. A great remodel can improve a boat’s appearance, comfort, safety, and resale value. Whether you're restoring a classic fishing boat, a family cruiser, or

A catch up.

NB What A Lark

This is a catch, but you may need a cuppa before you start! Now Reader I bet you thought I'd given up blogging but no, I'm still here. Home of course now (It's been a good three weeks). I truly

Trent and Mersey Canal - Stone to Barlaston

NB Huffler

Just as we cast off for the lock if started raining . Rising in lock 2 of the Stone flight The canal end of the dry dock that we pictured yesterday, 1 of 4 here Passing Joules brewery. We expected

The Maps are moving

NB Floydtilla

Slowly we are redirecting the map on this website to our new home for maps www.canalmaps.co.uk, it will take a while as I am tidying up as I go. So please don’t be to surprised if the get a redirection

Blasted Boat! 15th June

NB Oleanna

*Scarboreugh / Redhill Marina* The title of today’s post could mean one of two things. 1. Oh, that Blasted Boat! When will work ever start on her?! 2. Blasted Boat, she’s finally got blasted! We’ve spent the last week, well

Trent and Mersey Canal - Stone

NB Huffler

A bit warmer today and the fire is out. Decided to have lunch at The Star, at lock 27 We are moored just below lock 28 on the Stone flight , right next to the park and its a beautiful

Pont-à-Bar

NB Chalkhill Blue

Sunday 7 June We left the place with the great sounding name, Thugny-Trugny, and headed off for Attigny on Sunday morning. We had a hearty breakfast first which of course starts with a pain au chocolate as it does every

Park home and Leisure Show

NB Free Spirit (Jameisons Afloat)

Near the Stoneleigh show ground was a CC site. It happened to be at the Rugby Club, and electric hook-up, as well as drinking water, grey water disposal and Elsan were all on hand. It was the ideal place to

Trent and Mersey Canal - Weston to Stone

NB Huffler

Well it did eventually stop raining and next morning we set off towards Stone. it is only 3 locks to Stone but depending on if we can find a place to moor we might have to go up another 1

Not On Our Side! 14th June

NB Oleanna

An update at the end of a week when the weather showed potential but then turned out to not be on our side! Oleanna was moved out from her resting place of the last eight months on Tuesday. Yes this

Long-Haul Travel Tips: Flying From The UK To NZ

NB Areandare

Did someone say slow timing it back to Shebdon

NB Percy

... What do they know. Sadly Rachels trapped nerve if that is what it is got worse overnight and was up 4am is trying to get comfortable and some relief from it. Over breakfast we considered option. More slow timing,

Trent and Mersey Canal - Gt Haywood to just before Weston

NB Huffler

Setting off towards Gt Haywood lock. At least the tow path side of our boat looks good again ! Several boats waiting to go up the lock. We look like boat number 4- meaning at least the best part of

Diversity takes many forms in our life

Pickingupducks

June has been as mixed with weather, soundscapes, landscapes and emotion as ma month could be, and we are only a couple of weeks in. We started the month on a high, having travelled from a mooring on the outskirts

Slow timing it back to Shebdon

NB Percy

We had a lovely time in Chester - the train was an interesting and varied addition to our travels. It got us there and back via Crewe for about £20. We got to the Lockeeper pub which was by the

Trent and Mersey Canal - Gt Haywood

NB Huffler

We hope to be here a couple of days and get the boat, well at least one side of the boat polished It was quite good when we moored up so Tony made a start by washing the boat off

Home

NB Harnser

Just to put you all in the picture, this morning we left Harnser at Northwich Drydock and took an Uber, first for us, back to Barby, picked up our car and drove home. Harnser will get a cleaned and painted