Narrowboat News - Edition 7

Narrowboat News - Edition 7

It’s been a busy couple of days since we returned to regular lock country. I was treated a beautiful blue sky, with quite a frost to start out on my birthday but it was practically* a perfect day for me, light breeze, blue sky, cattle in the fields nearby, lots of lovely country fragrances and more than 20 locks (almost all set against us - but whatever!). When there are frequent locks the day is busy (and keeps you pleasantly warm). Some days the locks are spaced 15 - 30 mins apart, not quite enough time to boil a kettle and drink the creation between calls to duty.



Other days the locks are thick and fast such as Audlem, with 15 in close succession. It just happened that there were 5 boats going down and none coming up. This means that every freshly opened lock has to be refilled before you can use it. Usually this is not only slightly tedious but you feel badly to be wasting water - but there is so much of it running down the spillways around the locks that it doesn’t feel like an issue at the moment.



J was very disappointed to find the farm stand that used to sell home made pork pies by the side of the lock, no longer exists. Sad, but times change. The cake stand a few locks further on thankfully still seemed to be going as before.


Locks apart from raising or lowering the boat are a lovely way to meet other boaters and gongoozlers (those that like to watch narrowboats), it’s an opportunity for a quick chat. We met a couple from ON at one lock.



We are well up on our schedule to reach Tarleton for April 16th in anticipation of crossing the River Ribble to the Lancaster canal on the 17th, so we decided to take a two-day side trip up the Llangollen to visit friends with whom we cruised the L&L in 2017. We’ve seen them every time we’ve been over since. But this time Ali wasn’t nearby, so a side trip seemed in order.


We had a couple of lovely sunny and dry days over Easter and being lucky with our choice of mooring there was enough room to sit out on the bank with my knitting and a book after tying up. Too nice to sit aboard with a computer.



Many thanks for all the birthday greetings and apologies for any that I have not yet acknowledged.

Lucy


*The thorn in the ‘practically’ perfect day was the discovery (whilst I was in the shower) that the shower pump whilst sucking was not actually discharging over the side. Before I knew what was happening the bathroom was invaded by you-know-who requesting that I fetch a screwdriver, knitting needle, flashlight…. etc. The conclusion in the end was the pump was pumping but for some reason (blocked flap valve?) unable to discharge - and sending it into the bilge. Probably the cause of the mysterious water in the bilge. Fortunately we are not given to excessive showering!!!

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