OnTheCut

Chinese Whispers. 10th July

NB Oleanna

*Doncaster Visitor Moorings to Huddles Ground Winding Hole, well a bit further on.* Today we’d be looking to find some shade. But first I wanted to see if I could find some clothes to fit me. Would Doncaster cater for

Greater Cheshire: Day 1

NB Briar Rose

We were up at a decent time today, because we wanted to get things done before it got too hot; the latest heatwave is supposed to peak today. We beat the crowds and drove into Nantwich to do shopping, then

Colmar (the anchor works!)

NB Chalkhill Blue

TUESDAY 8 JULY After six days back in the UK we returned to the boat on Monday evening. Well, the plan was for six days but it ended up as five as we missed a connecting flight from Frankfurt to

Beaut! 9th July

NB Oleanna

*Doncaster Visitor Moorings* It’s always the same. You set an alarm for early o’clock and just can’t get to sleep. Then add into the mix Doncaster Minster being so close and it’s bells marking EVERY quarter of an hour ALL

Free-floating anxiety management

Pickingupducks

It doesn’t matter how many times you launch yourself into new ventures, there is always a frisson of fear, an nagging anxiety, concern over what might happen (even when you know you have prepared, even over-prepared for every eventuality). There

Electrika show

NB Briar Rose

Today we made use of the car to drive down to Brinklow Marina for the Electrika show, which focuses on electric and hybrid electric boats. It was incredibly hot, and I suspect the heat kept a lot of people away,

Alternative Plans. 8th July

NB Oleanna

*Smallhedge Bridge to Doncaster Visitor Moorings* Sorry Tilly, no shore leave this morning, and none likely later on either. We needed to get moving and had to have a few possible mooring alternatives up our sleeves. **Waiting to leapfrog** At

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 7

NB Briar Rose

I opened the side hatch first thing this morning while I got the breakfast things ready, and could hear a sort of crunching noise. It took me a long while to spot a squirrel in the hawthorn bush on the

The Hidden Paint Problem on New Canal Boats (And How to Protect Yourself)

Widebeam & Wellingtons

Rust, bubbling paint, and no one to help? Discover why so many new canal boats are having paint problems — and how our free checklist can protect you before you buy.

The Committee Said ‘Move Along’. 7th July

NB Oleanna

*Pollington Bridge to Smallhedge Swing Bridge, New Junction Canal* A better day weather wise. Best get a move on! But first Tilly was allowed some shore leave. ***It’s good here!*** Thankfully she came back when called and we could push

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 6

NB Briar Rose

Another sunny start to the day, it’s it become really warm. At around 8am we moved forward to the water point to top up the tank. We could see a lock keeper doing things down at the locks, but it

Marooned!

NB Herbie

News flash: Cropredy cut off from the known world! Yes , not only has it been too hot to do much painting on Herbie in recent weeks, but now we can't go cruising either. CRT have announced that due to

Such A Cherub. 6th July

NB Oleanna

*Stubbs Bridge to Pollington Bridge* A new puzzle this morning. A new name! Today the wind was much reduced. Tilly had some shore leave whilst we chatted to Mick’s siblings. Topics today, down grading hire cars, Inverness, Halifax, £1000 for

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 5

NB Briar Rose

A much nicer day today, with sunshine from the start and not so much of a breeze. We got some washing under way, and set off at about 9 when the wash part of the cycle had finished. I walked

Beautiful Lady! 5th July

NB Oleanna

*Stubbs Bridge* Neither Mick or myself have ever been the gooey smaltzy romantic types. We don’t call each other *darling* or *babe* or anything much other than our actual names, well there is the occasional ‘*Stinky Boy!*‘ but that’s it.

2025 BCNS EXPLORER CRUISE

NB Sonflower

Monday 7th June 2025 Day 1. Broken down! We were mooring outside the Roundhouse yesterday when the gearbox stuck in forward drive. We ended up acRoss the canal at Sheepcote Street. Bridge. We roped Sonflower back to a 14 day

Oxford Canal:Oxford

NB Nuggler

Last night we had reached Lower Heywood. Quite a lot of rain overnight which stopped just before we departed. We had the canal to ourselves and all running well until Pigeon Lock. The offside paddle is out of service due

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 4

NB Briar Rose

Today we have turned around three times! We don’t have time to go all the way to Llangollen this trip, so we first needed to turn around at Frankton Junction. I was up quite early this morning, and set off

Windy Passage. 4th July

NB Oleanna

*Selby Basin to Stubbs Bridge, Aire and Calder Navigation* A boat headed to the water point first thing, once it was done and it had reversed to behind us, we set about winding, and then heading back to a mooring

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 3

NB Briar Rose

There was very heavy rain at 5.30 this morning, which woke us up with the noise on the roof. It continued raining on and off, but by the time we’d had breakfast and were ready to set off at just

To Joint Or Not To Joint. 2nd July

NB Oleanna

*Selby Basin* A couple of sips of tea in bed then we were up. The wind had lulled, we were quick to get ourselves winded so that the port side could be by the bank ready for Sean to arrive

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 2

NB Briar Rose

It rained quite a bit yesterday evening and was also very windy. The trees at the Marbury moorings kept dropping pine cones onto the roof! We woke up to a much better day than forecast, and set off about 8.15.

The River Alone. 2nd July

NB Oleanna

*Naburn Visitor Moorings to Selby Basin, Selby Canal* Rain overnight had woken us, the windows needed closing to stop the rain from coming in. Then the geese decided the weed on Oleanna’s waterline was tasty at first light! So not

Messing about on the River…

Pickingupducks

> Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need – a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, someone to love and someone to love you, a cat, a dog,

Shropshire (wind)lass: Day 1

NB Briar Rose

We have a week before our next planned use of the car, so will be exploring the English part of the Llangollen Canal, which means mostly Shropshire. A bright start to the day, and we got a wash load of

Saying Goodbyes. 1st July

NB Oleanna

*New Walk to Naburn Visitor Mooring* Last night shortly before we headed for bed we could hear music heading our way. Was this *Orchid* returning? He’d been down earlier yesterday but then had headed back up stream. No this was

July Braidbar visit

NB Briar Rose

The main reason we moored where we did last night was because it’s close to our friends who are looking after the car. This morning we walked along and picked it up, and drove up to Braidbar. There’s been more

Oxford Canal:Banbury

NB Nuggler

I left an hour later than usual. As I was moored overnight just one boat length from the lock I walked ahead and set the lock feeling guilty about making a lot of noise at 8:00am with cottages right on

Cheshire, eventually: Day 14

NB Briar Rose

After I’d posted the blog yesterday we had a call from Carol and George (ex Rock’n’Roll and Still Rockin’) in response to a message we’d sent earlier. They came round for a cup of tea — and volunteered to combine

Oxford Canal:Cropredy

NB Nuggler

Wednesday July 2nd In strong contrast to yesterday, the day began chilly and overcast. Setting off early as usual I reached Fenny at 08:45 and feeling the urge to top up with diesel, I stopped at what is now called

Cheshire, eventually: Day 13

NB Briar Rose

Finally, we have arrived in Cheshire, having started the day in Staffordshire and crossed Shropshire. We knew we had quite a journey to do today if we wanted to get back on schedule, so with lots of miles before the

Oxford Canal:Ladder Bridge 129

NB Nuggler

It had been a hot sticky night, but this morning boat temperature was 25C. As Napton Flight of locks doesn’t open until 09:00 (conservation measure for low water levels) I didn’t want to rush. I had estimated it would take

Crick boat show winners and widebeams

NB Briar Rose

The August Canal Boat is out, and includes the first part of our review of Crick Boats. This one covers the three narrowboats which came top in the vote for Favourite Boat, plus the two widebeams.

Kembs (back with the big boys)

NB Chalkhill Blue

TUESDAY 24 JUNE We were due to meet VNF at the first lock at 10.00 on Tuesday but as we needed to pull into the port in Dannemarie to get water we left an hour earlier. We were finished quicker

Home moorings

NB Harnser

We were away about 10, the ex working boats had been going by since about 6AM. We continued North through Newbold Tunnel meeting a boat who waited at the north portal for us although there is plenty of room for

Cheshire, eventually: Day 12

NB Briar Rose

The first confirmation that the tree blocking the canal had been cleared came from a boat which came past just before 8pm last night. This morning boats started coming past at around 6am, trying to make up for lost time.

Grand Union Canal:Bridge 100

NB Nuggler

Monday June 30th. An early start this morning arriving at the marina at 07:30. Even though the boat had already been “prepped” a couple of weeks earlier, it still took two hours to unload the car and find places for

Feels Like Home

The Sumpners Afloat

**23rd June – the final leg for this half of the summer** Well – I swept the bow deck before leaving this Monday morning. A dustpan and a half of grass cuttings. I also had to sweep along the side

2025 Cruising begins Banbury to Birmingham

NB Sonflower

Sunday 22 June 2025 We hadn't been put in the boat this year yet. We need to be in Birmingham in early July as we have booked ourselves into another BCNS Explorer Cruise. WIth Alex aboard we set off for

Three Weeks in China – Curiosity, Culture Shock, and Connection

NB Areandare

Newbold

NB Harnser

What a lovely mooring last night, it’s the first time we have ever managed to tuck in here. There was supposed to be a meteor storm last night and I sat out on deck around midnight looking at the sky,

Cheshire, eventually: Day 11

NB Briar Rose

While we were having breakfast this morning, a stoppage notice came through saying there was a tree blocking the canal at Brewood. We decided we’d set off anyway, so Adrian went to open the stop lock at the junction, while

Kilsby

NB Harnser

Boy was it hot last night, louvres in the engine room and rear slide open. Downside was the noise from the A45 and people talking as they walked back from the Marina. This morning we wandered down to the marina

Cheshire, eventually: Day 10

NB Briar Rose

I was awake early for some reason this morning, and eventually I got up and walked up to seemingly the only shop in Tipton which has a full range of newspapers (we’d done a recce yesterday). I bought the only

Taking a break this week

Pickingupducks

We’ve both spent time with family this week. Being useful in different parts of the country at different times and also separately enjoyed time alone on the boat – a rare treat for the Skipper. Normal service will be resumed

Braunston

NB Harnser

We were away from home quite early for us, around 9AM. no point in going earlier unless its a lot earlier as you just get snarled up heading to Norwich. Quite a bit of traffic but no real hold and

Cheshire, eventually: Day 9

NB Briar Rose

It seemed pretty chilly when we set off this morning at about 8.15. Just through the bridge ahead of where we moored is the Merry Hill Waterfront development. After about half an hour we reached Blowers Green Lock, which is

July Cruise 2025

NB Nuggler

I shall be taking family on a week long cruise on the Southern Oxford Canal starting on the 5th July picking them up at Banbury. This means of course a single handed operation to get to Banbury "over the hill"

Cheshire, eventually: Day 8

NB Briar Rose

There was some rain before we got up, but the forecast wet start to the day didn’t materialise. We had a lot of locks to do today, so wanted to set off in good time. At about 7.45 a boat

A short break

NB Free Spirit (Jameisons Afloat)

June 25th We did manage to get away, not to Yorkshire, but 'down south' to Dorset. We had good news last week, all clear with Ian's scan. Oh, actually, that's not strictly true because a small nodule was found on